City Controller Christy Brady, who also presides over the Philadelphia Gas Commission, has issued a call for immediate action from the Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) on a pressing matter of leadership vacancies. According to a statement released on the Commission's website, the two top executive roles of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at PGW need to be filled without delay.
"While I have confidence in current leadership and their commitment to the company's best interests, I am very troubled by the lack of senior officials in two positions specifically," Brady expressed to the commission at their monthly meeting. The absence of a permanent COO is of particular concern for Brady, given the role's importance in the implementation of strategic plans and in reinforcing the company's ability to make strategic succession plans. "Historically, the COO position has been filled by someone with extensive field experience, typically an engineer or a long-tenured gas operations employee with decades of institutional knowledge and real-world operational expertise, not merely office-based management experience. That is the caliber of leadership and experience we need in this critical position," Brady added, emphasizing the significance of such expertise in those chosen to helm the company's day-to-day operations, as noted by the same press release.
The issue extends beyond the vacant positions. Brady also highlighted deficiencies in the approach PGW is taking to rectify the situation. The Request for Proposals (RFP) issued to search firms for C-suite candidates appears to be missing critical components. Clear job descriptions, defined timelines, and detailed hiring criteria are among the aspects that Brady finds lacking in the current RFP documentation.
In her role as chair of the Gas Commission, Brady has urged the PGW board of directors, which operates under the Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation (PFMC), to revise the RFP and to include the necessary details that would streamline the hiring process. “I trust the leadership and appreciate their work. My goal is simply to ensure continuity of operational leadership and to establish a sound succession strategy tailored to the unique demands of gas service delivery,” Brady said, as per the Commission's website.
The controller's office has been forthright in their recommendations, asking that the amended RFP include timelines, well-defined role descriptions, and that the list of potential candidates be shared with the Commission posthaste once the search concludes.
