E.ON’s gifts to the community

July 13, 2010
From left to right: Dr. Johannes Teyssen, Chairman and CEO of E.ON; UK President Lee Todd, Jr.; UofL President Dr. Jim Ramsey and E.ON U.S. Chairman, CEO and President Vic Staffieri.

Often, when the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville are mentioned in the same sentence, they’re opponents on a ball field or basketball court. Heck, if you really want to get the blood pumping among your family, friends and coworkers, start talking about the Cats and the Cards and then see what happens.



But, today, presidents of both universities came together at the E.ON U.S. Center in downtown Louisville. There was no trash talking, no shouting fans, no bad officiating; only smiles, a few inspirational words and a great deal of thanks.


E.ON, the German parent company of E.ON U.S., donated $2 million each to UK and UofL to fund a combination of engineering scholarships and energy efficiency research. The E.ON U.S. Foundation also received $2 million to enhance charitable giving and strengthen efforts to improve the quality of life for people who live in the communities served by our utilities, Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities.


E.ON has announced its intention to sell E.ON U.S. to PPL Corp. of Allentown, Pa., and the transaction should be complete before year’s end. As a parting gesture to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, E.ON voluntarily made the $6 million donation to leave a lasting legacy for future generations through the state’s two largest public universities and our foundation. Dr. Johannes Teyssen, Chairman and CEO of E.ON, came from Düsseldorf to Louisville to present the checks to UofL President Dr. Jim Ramsey, UK President Lee Todd, Jr., and E.ON U.S. Chairman, CEO and President Vic Staffieri.


Since LG&E and KU serve customers throughout Kentucky, these gifts will ultimately benefit communities across the Bluegrass state. E.ON’s gifts mirror our own long-standing commitment to this area. The E.ON U.S. Foundation alone has contributed more than $20 million to the community since its inception in 1994.


So, whether you cheer for the Big Blue or you are a diehard Cardinal fan, the outcome was positive for everyone involved. All sides — and especially our community — were winners today.

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