A high-performing senior energy executive and successful tech startup founder, Kerrick Johnson serves as Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service. He had most recently served as Executive Advisor to Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) after having served as VELCO’s Chief Innovation and Communications Officer. Kerrick is a dynamic leader with a broad and deep network of effective working relationships across both the public and private sector. His record is one of successful creation, development, and collaborative execution of innovative initiatives that deliver value and earn stakeholder trust.
As just one example, Kerrick co-conceived, developed and launched in September 2021 a new utility/university/clean energy company consortium (Vermont Clean and Resilient Energy Consortium) created to secure funding for work to accelerate gird transformation. He also secured $40 million in congressional authorization for 2021-24 renewables integration/grid flexibility work through a collaborative project with three national labs. Previously Kerrick was a Co-Founder and Chief Ecosystem Officer for Utopus Insights, a New York-based energy analytics company formed by IBM, Boston Consulting Group and VELCO that was acquired in 2018 for $100 million by Vestas Wind Systems A/S.
Having served in key leadership roles over the past decade of energy sector transformation, Kerrick is recognized as a seasoned, frequently provocative, public speaker, and thought leader who has catalyzed many creative energy sector conversations at diverse conferences, workshops, symposiums, and executive gatherings.
Kerrick attended Vermont’s Johnson State College and served four years in the US Air Force as an airborne Russian linguist. Along with his wife Mary Ann, he lives in Middlesex, Vermont.