Anthony F. “Tony” Earley, Jr., chairman, CEO and president of PG&E Corporation, was awarded the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI’s) Distinguished Leadership Award by his industry peers for his decades of significant contributions and commitment to the electric power industry.

“It is an honor to present this award to Tony Earley in recognition of his unprecedented leadership and his devotion to the electric power industry,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Tony is a leader of the highest character, and his steadfast commitment is invaluable as we address the many challenges facing the industry.”

The award, established to recognize outstanding individual achievement, was presented during EEI’s fall board of directors meeting. Earley is the seventh industry CEO to receive the award.

Earley joined PG&E in September 2011, after 17 years at Detroit-based DTE Energy, where he served as chairman and CEO for 12 years before becoming executive chairman of the board in September 2010. Earley served as EEI chairman in 2009 and 2010, and is currently on EEI’s executive committee.

“For 30 years, from the East Coast to the Midwest to the West Coast, Tony Earley has been a tireless advocate and passionate spokesman for safety, reliability and operational excellence – the touchstones of our business,” said Dominion Chairman, President and CEO Tom Farrell. “His natural leadership abilities, industry knowledge and career achievements have left a lasting mark on the energy sector. Tony has been a valued friend, colleague and mentor who has served our industry with integrity and distinction. He is richly deserving of this recognition.” Farrell received EEI’s Distinguished Leadership Award in 2013.

Among Earley’s many accomplishments, he was directly involved with the development of national policies on energy, the environment, and climate change issues. Earley steadily led the industry as EEI chairman through the economic downturn and helped to navigate on critical issues such as the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill.

“Tony’s leadership and determined efforts to form consensus have built the foundation for many industry-wide accomplishments, helping create an approach that still serves us well today as we address new challenges and regulations,” said EEI Chairman and Edison International Chairman, President and CEO Ted Craver. “We are grateful to Tony for his hard work and service as past chairman of EEI, and for his continued involvement in our organization.”

At the beginning of his career, Earley served as an officer in the United States Navy nuclear submarine program, where he was qualified as a chief engineer officer. He then served in various capacities of increasing responsibility at Long Island Lighting Co., including president and chief operating officer and executive vice president and general counsel before joining DTE Energy as president and chief operating officer in March 1994.

Earley is currently on the executive committee of the Nuclear Energy Institute and is a board member of the Electric Power Research Institute. He is on the board at Ford Motor Company and serves on the listed member advisory board for the New York Stock Exchange.

His commitment to the community includes memberships on the boards of the United Way Bay Area and The Exploratorium, a science, arts and human perception museum in San Francisco.

Earley received his Bachelor of Science degree in physics, a Master of Science degree in engineering and a law degree at the University of Notre Dame, where he serves on the advisory council of the College of Engineering.