FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) announced that Karen McClendon has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), effective Nov. 11.
In this role, McClendon will spearhead efforts to integrate and advance the company’s human capital strategy, ensuring alignment with the strategic vision to establish FirstEnergy as a premier electric company. She will oversee key human resources functions, including talent management, benefits and compensation, labor and employee relations, and the commitment to building an inclusive workforce and a workplace reflective of the communities served by FirstEnergy. McClendon will report to Brian Tierney, FirstEnergy President and Chief Executive Officer.
McClendon joins FirstEnergy with more than three decades of human resources experience. She has a proven track record in developing solutions, delivering results, generating support across multiple levels, leading culture transformation and fostering advocacy for an inclusive workforce and work environment.
“Karen is a resourceful and decisive leader who brings to FirstEnergy deep experience building and fostering a culture where employees feel empowered to reach their full potential,” said Tierney. “I am confident she will help us advance our strategic initiatives, including our culture transformation, and drive a continuous improvement mindset that will accelerate our progress toward becoming a premier electric company.”
McClendon most recently served as the CHRO at Paychex, a leading provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources and insurance services. Under her leadership, Paychex enhanced the employee experience using competitive compensation and benefits structures to recruit and retain top talent and transformed the human resources function by leveraging technology for data-driven human resource planning and decision-making.
Prior to Paychex, McClendon spent nineteen years as a Vice President of Human Resources for various divisions of Comcast Corp. She has also held senior human resources leadership positions with Aramark Corporation, Exelon Corporation, Zone Telecom and Sesame Workshop.
McClendon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., and a Master of Business Administration degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. An active community member, she has served on the boards of The Career Wardrobe, ACHIEVEability and the Southern New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. She has also been recognized three times with the Apex Employee Training Award and was named a woman of distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
