Charles John Wilder
C. John Wilder is executive chairman of Bluescape Resources and chairman of the John and Susan Wilder Foundation. The John and Susan Wilder Foundation seeks to improve the lives of families through funding initiatives and programs that foster youth development, Christian ministries, and public school education.
Wilder’s prior achievements include spearheading two of the energy industry’s most successful financial and operational turnarounds. As chairman of the board and chief executive officer of TXU Corp., Wilder transformed one of the nation’s largest energy companies over a four-year period from a bottom-quartile regulated monopoly to a competitive, high-performance industrial enterprise. Under his leadership, TXU delivered 70% annualized returns to shareholders and ranked 7th best in the S&P 500. While chief financial officer at Entergy Corporation, Wilder spurred improvements that provided annualized returns that exceeded the returns of the S&P 500 by 18-fold.
Wilder also has a deep commitment to giving back to communities through volunteerism, contributions, and his family foundation. United Way is a special passion. A longtime United Way Tocqueville Society member, Wilder was named CEO of the Year for the success of TXU’s 2005 campaign, and he helped TXU earn the Spirit of Caring Award for the 2006 campaign and the Outstanding Campaign Growth and Pacesetter of the Year Awards in 2007. Through the John and Susan Wilder Foundation, the Dallas United Way formed TLC Camp for Youth, a free summer program for lower income children and teens. TLC Camp for Youth will encourage, equip and empower thousands of urban youth and their mentors through sports camping. Reflecting Wilder’s enthusiasm for the United Way, TXU moved from the No. 10 Dallas corporation in total giving to No. 2. Also committed to promoting education, Wilder is on the advisory boards of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, the Global Energy Management Institute at the University of Houston, and the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.
Wilder started in the energy business in Texas more than 25 years ago with the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, where he rose to the position of chief executive officer of Shell Capital in London. In 1998, he was hired as CFO at Entergy, and in 2004 he joined TXU as CEO, later becoming chairman. Institutional Investor magazine has ranked Wilder as the best CEO in the electric power sector three times (2004, 2005, 2006), one of the ten best CEOs in America (2005), and a top CFO (2004). In 2004, CBS MarketWatch named him one of three finalists across all industries for CEO of the Year and InvestorRelations magazine named him the best executive in investor relations. In September 2007, Forbes identified Wilder among “10 energy executives to watch” and described him as one of “one of the savviest.”
A native of Missouri, Wilder graduated magna cum laude from Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and he has received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas. He and his wife have three children, and they live in Dallas.
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