Digital Leaders Council
Richard Donaldson
Vice President, Digital Transformation
Duke Energy
Richard Donaldson is responsible for digital strategy, delivery, and architecture across mobile, data, analytics, software engineering and emerging info tech domains. His current focus is on leveraging digital capabilities to transform the company’s internal operations and develop new business models.
Richard began his career with Duke in 2001 as a programmer in Financial App's. He took on progressively expanding roles, including leading application infrastructure/architecture for the corporate applications domain until 2010, when he joined Telecom. While in Telecom, Richard had responsibility for Duke's Wireless Communications Systems, including Land & Plant Mobile Radio Systems used by Duke's Operations fleet. In 2013, Richard joined the PMO, where he was named division manager in 2014. After leading the PMO through the Progress Energy Merger Integration Projects, Richard assumed his current position over Digital Transformation.
Before joining Duke in 2001, Richard spent 4 years practicing Civil and Environmental Engineering at a local consulting firm in Charlotte. Richard earned his MS in Environmental Engineering and BS in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina.
Richard serves on the board of Apparo, where he shares is passion for technology with other local leaders in a pursuit to help area nonprofits thrive. He is also actively involved in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He and his wife, Aimee, along with their three daughters, live in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Some of Richard's personal interests include coaching and cheering on his daughters’ sports teams, basketball, hiking and skiing in the North Carolina mountains.