CMS Energy appoints new general counsel from in-house

Shaun Johnson will become senior vice president and general counsel of CMS Energy and Consumers Energy on May 16. He will succeed Catherine Reynolds, who is retiring after working for the companies for four decades.

Johnson is currently vice president and deputy general counsel. In his new role he will head the legal team and be responsible for corporate secretary activities, corporate records, compliance and the enterprise risk and insurance functions.

Jackson, Michigan-based CMS Energy has Consumers Energy, an electric and natural gas utility, as its primary business. It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. According to the company, Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, serving 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents.

Kelly Hall will succeed Johnson as vice president and deputy general counsel of CMS Energy and Consumers Energy. Her main responsibilities will be overseeing the litigation, general practice and federal energy regulatory teams and offering legal oversight for business development activities. She at present serves as supervisory assistant general counsel.

‘As we continue to sharpen our focus on the triple bottom line of people, planet and prosperity, Shaun brings a unique perspective and vision to the way we do business,’ says CMS Energy and Consumers Energy president and CEO Patti Poppe in a statement. ‘Shaun’s passion for engaging and collaborating with diverse stakeholders and energy policy expertise will be crucial as we move forward to meet the goals laid out in our nation-leading clean energy plan.

‘Cathy has been a groundbreaker and critical leader in developing our forward-thinking company strategy – she has truly left Consumers Energy and Michigan better than she found it.

‘Kelly’s leadership, deep understanding of law and energy policy, and commitment to her community make her a great fit to help lead the company’s legal function.