The San Antonio City Council voted unanimously Thursday to reappoint Janie Gonzalez, the president and CEO of tech firm Webhead, to a second five-year term on CPS Energy’s board of trustees.
Gonzalez, whose term was set to expire at the end of January, has served on the board of the municipally owned utility since 2019 and stepped into the role of chair in February 2023. She also serves as the chair of CPS Energy’s audit and finance committee, employee benefits oversight committee, technology and resilience committee and its personnel committee.
The utility’s four appointed trustees each serve up to two five-year terms. Mayor Ron Nirenberg sits as CPS Energy’s fifth trustee in his official capacity. Following the council’s vote Thursday, Gonzalez said she is “energized” by the support she has received from the City of San Antonio.
“I am thrilled with the milestones CPS Energy has reached and am enthusiastic about leading more groundbreaking efforts in serving our community,” she said in a prepared statement. “As board chair, I am committed to navigating the company through an ambitious era of energy and technological evolution.”
During her tenure, the utility’s board has approved a new generation portfolio that will phase out coal by 2028, implemented two rate increases and approved a new energy efficiency plan following the sunset of the previous one.
As the leader of a tech company, Gonzalez has also supported the phasing out of CPS Energy’s 23-year-old computer system in favor of newer systems.
Over the past year, Gonzalez has often gone head-to-head in board meetings with trustee John Steen. The former chairman’s concerns center on keeping the utility’s credit rating agencies content. Gonzalez told the San Antonio Report early last year that she wants to see the board focus on the future.
“There are times in history where you need the Mr. Steens, and there are times in history where you need the Janies,” she said.
Gonzalez will serve as CPS Energy’s board chair until Jan. 31, 2025, and on the board until Jan. 31, 2029.
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