10 Things You Didn't Know about Consolidated Edison CEO John McAvoy

John McAvoy is the CEO of Consolidated Edison. This makes him a notable figure in the energy industry, seeing as how Consolidated Edison is one of the biggest investor-owned energy companies that can be found in the whole of the United States. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about John McAvoy:

1. Went to Manhattan College

McAvoy's alma mater is Manhattan College, which was once located in Manhattan but has since moved over to the Bronx. In total, it has five undergraduate schools, with the school focused on the arts being the biggest but the school focused on engineering being the most famous.

2. Studied Mechanical Engineering

Engineering is such a wide-ranging field that even its sub-disciplines encompass a bewildering range of topics. For proof, look no further than McAvoy's field, which was mechanical engineering. As its name suggests, mechanical engineering specializes in mechanical systems, thus explaining why mechanical engineers can be found working in everything from nanotech to public works.

3. Has a MBA

Besides his bachelor's degree, McAvoy has a MBA as well, which was earned at New York University. Suffice to say that business administration makes perfect sense as a subject of study for people who want to run companies of any kind.

4. Has a Doctor of Humane Letters

It is interesting to note that McAvoy has a degree called a Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Mary’s College as well. For people who have never heard of it, just about all examples of the degree are given out as honorary degrees. It has a number of counterparts for various kinds of achievements, meaning that it tends to be handed out to people who merit doesn't fall into one of those other categories.

5. Graduate of David Rockefeller Fellows Program

Speaking of which, it is worth mentioning that McAvoy has graduated from the David Rockefeller Fellows Program as well. In short, said program is meant to prepare business leaders to take more influential roles in civic matters, with a particular point of focus being New York City. Much of the program consists of relationship building between business leaders and their counterparts in other spheres. However, the program is supposed to strengthen their leadership skills as well.

6. Board Member of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

McAvoy's interest in civic matters can be see in the fact that he is a board member for the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. In short, the name Intrepid should make it obvious that the museum is centered on the USS Intrepid, which was one of the 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built for the Second World War. However, the museum features other notable vehicles as well, which range from a submarine to the space shuttle Enterprise.

7. Has Taken an Interest in Renewable Energy

Under McAvoy's leadership, Consolidated Edison claims to have invested more than $3 billion into renewable energy. As a result, it claims to be one of the biggest producers of solar power in not just the United States but in the whole of North America.

8. Has Been Installing Smart Meters

Besides the interest in renewable energy, McAvoy has been leading an effort to install smart meters for Consolidated Edison's customers as well. There are a number of potential benefits because of the smart meters, which range from the integration of solar power to the ability to see up-to-date information about billing based on actual energy use.

9. Believes In the Power of Tech to Improve Customer Experience

The installation of the smart meters is an excellent example of McAvoy's belief that tech can improve every aspect of the customer's experience. Considering the comprehensiveness of his belief, it seems safe to say that Consolidated Edison has other initiatives waiting to be implemented towards this end.

10. Shrugged Off Calls for His Resignation in March of 2018

Energy company executives tend to take a lot of criticism when natural disasters interrupt their services, with McAvoy being no exception to this rule. This can be seen in March of 2018, when McAvoy shrugged off calls for his resignation from various parties following devastating storms by pointing out that the damage was so bad in some places that his employees had to rebuild rather than repair the necessary infrastructure.