James E Rogers

Jim Rogers, the former CEO of Duke Energy, died in December 2018 in Louisville at the age of 71. Rogers, who grew up in Danville, Kentucky, and lived in North Carolina, was visiting family at the time. Rogers said he was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but spent most of his childhood in Danville’s “coal country.” He worked his way through the University of Kentucky, where he earned a bachelor's of business administration in 1970 and a law degree in 1974. Rogers later served as a clerk for the Kentucky Supreme County and as an assistant state attorney general, he said. He moved to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, then worked as Executive Vice President of Interstate Pipelines for the Enron Gas Pipeline Group before becoming CEO of a utility that would ultimately merge with Duke. Rogers became CEO of Charlotte-based Duke Energy in 2006, following its merger with Cincinnati’s Cinergy Corp. James E. Rogers (60) has been a Director of CIGNA since 2007. Mr. Rogers has served as the Chairman of Duke Energy Corporation (an electric power company) since 2007 and as the President, Chief Executive Officer and a director since 2006. He was formerly the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of CINERGY Corp., (which merged with Duke Energy Corporation in 2006) from 1994 until 2006. Mr. Rogers is a Director of Fifth Third Bancorp. His term as a Director of CIGNA expires in 2009.