Calvin Butler and Jeff Edwards Elected to Battelle Board of Directors

November 29, 2023 |

4 min read

Battelle announced the election of two distinguished industry leaders to its Board of Directors.

Leader of Nation’s Largest Utility Company, Calvin Butler, Brings Decades of Leadership in Energy Sector
CEO of Building Products Company, Jeff Edwards, Contributes Business Acumen and Strong Ties to the Columbus Community

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Battelle announced today the election of two distinguished industry leaders to its Board of Directors. The appointments are effective immediately. Battelle, the world’s leading independent research and development organization, serves government and commercial customers in the areas of national security, energy, health and the environment.

Calvin Butler is President and CEO of Exelon Corp. overseeing Exelon’s six local electric and natural gas companies—Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco. Together, they form the nation’s largest utility company by customer count, serving approximately 10 million electric and gas customers in New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, Delaware, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, and earning $19 billion in revenue. He is a past chair of the Gridwise Alliance, an advocacy organization promoting modernization and innovation for the nation’s electrical grid. Butler holds a B.S. from Bradley University and is a graduate of the School of Law at Washington University in St. Louis.

In addition, Butler is on the Board of Trustees of the Institute of International Education (IIE) serving as a vice chair and is on the Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratory.

He also serves on several nonprofit boards in areas where Exelon operates and is on the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress.

Battelle Board Chairman Kirkland Donald said, “The role of the Board of Directors is to bring perspectives from a wide variety of experiences to benefit Battelle’s long-term success. Calvin’s deep roots and insight into the energy sector will benefit Battelle’s Energy and Infrastructure business. We look forward to his valuable contributions to Battelle’s success.”

“Solving the major challenges of our age, such as climate change, requires the type of work for which Battelle is best known. That includes a history of making significant investments in scientific innovation, coordination of the collective efforts of public and private sectors and attracting and nurturing talent from all corners of society to deliver a sustainable future,” Butler said. “I’m pleased to have the opportunity to guide Battelle’s future success as a member of its Board of Directors.”

Edwards is an industry leader with more than 30 years of experience in the building products industry and in his roles as the President, CEO, and Chairman of Installed Building Products. He offers significant senior leadership, housing and construction industry knowledge, and strategic, operational and M&A experience.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Installed Building Products has more than 210 locations and 10,300 employees throughout the United States and earned $2.6 billion in revenue in 2022. It is the second largest insulation installer in the U.S. residential new construction market and offers a diverse portfolio of products for new and existing residential, multifamily, and commercial building projects. Edwards holds an B.S. from Miami University; is currently a member of the Governing Committee at The Columbus Foundation, an Honorary Trustee at the Columbus Museum of Art, and a member of the Executive Committee at the Columbus Partnership.

“Jeff is an outstanding addition to our Board of Directors,” said Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer. “His business success, strong leadership and stature in the Columbus community will bring a fresh perspective to the way we conduct business at Battelle and help us fulfill our business and philanthropic mission.”

“I’ve long admired Battelle’s role in supporting STEM and other philanthropic programs that help strengthen the Central Ohio community,” Edwards said. “I’m thrilled to join this distinguished board and begin contributing to Battelle’s storied legacy of solving problems of great importance to the world.”

Von Thaer noted that board member Michael Gasser completed his term with the board.

“Our Board and the entire leadership team of Battelle wants to thank Michael for his many contributions to Battelle over the course of his 12 years of service and we wish him well in his retirement,” Von Thaer said.

About Battelle

Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.