Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of ComEd, during a Monday City Club of Chicago event spoke of the company’s rebranding and its role in the revitalization of the Chicagoland region’s economy.
ComEd’s tagline – “Powering lives,” is meant to conceptualize the company’s role in the technology-driven 21st century world, Pramaggiore said. ComEd’s previous slogan – “Keeping the lights on,” represented “a minimalist philosophy” from which the company has evolved, she said.
“Energy’s playing a more significant and complex role in the life of our community than it ever has,” Pramaggiore said. “Just as the power-grid system is transforming from a one dimensional system of plant, wires and poles to a multidimensional network, … so too is ComEd evolving to an organization that connects at many points throughout the economy.”
To keep up with the region’s robust energy system that includes world-class health facilities, data centers and “microprocessor-based manufacturers,” Pramaggiore said ComEd has begun implementing a $2.6 billion investment in its network. After replacing electrical cables and installing “smart switches” that prevent outages, ComEd’s dependability in 2013 was ranked among the top 10 percent of similar American utilities.
Pramaggiore said a robust, dependable system is essential for attracting and retaining companies like Groupon, Orbitz and Coyote Logistics to and in the local economy.
-Tom Butala
“We’ve created an innovation ecosystem that is encouraging more people to build their company, create their products and hire their employees right here in Chicago,” she said.