Experienced leaders will help improve reliability, accountability and customer experience
AKRON, Ohio, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) recently named three senior leaders to strengthen operational performance, advance its safety culture and accelerate enterprise-wide technology transformation: Chris Beam as President, West Virginia/Maryland Operations; Hanneke Counts as Vice President, Environmental Health and Safety; and Daniel Puscas as Chief Information Officer.
Together, these leaders complement FirstEnergy's business strategy by reinforcing key priorities: operating the system safely and reliably, executing investments with discipline and modernizing the tools and processes that support the business. Their combined experience will help the company strengthen performance while creating a better experience for customers, employees and stakeholders.
Beam will lead FirstEnergy's West Virginia and Maryland business unit, including Mon Power and Potomac Edison, along with the company's regulated generation business. He will oversee safe, reliable and efficient operations, financial performance and the regulatory and legislative strategy that supports the company's investment plans, reporting to Wade Smith, President, FirstEnergy Utilities.
In her role overseeing the company's enterprise safety organization, Counts will drive a more consistent, risk-based approach to preventing serious injuries and strengthening field execution. She will focus on standardizing safety practices across the company, expanding field coaching and observation programs and reinforcing a culture where employees take ownership of safe work. Counts reports to Chief Operating Officer Toby Thomas.
Reporting to FirstEnergy Board Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer Brian X. Tierney, Puscas will take charge of FirstEnergy's enterprise technology, digital and cybersecurity strategy. He will oversee IT operations, digital platforms, cybersecurity and innovation efforts, with a focus on improving system reliability, enabling data-driven decision-making and supporting the company's transition to a more modern, efficient operating model.
Christian T. Beam Biography
Beam joined FirstEnergy in 2025 as Vice President, Generation Project Development, leading strategy and regulatory engagement for new generation assets in West Virginia, including Mon Power's integrated resource plan, and working closely with regulators and stakeholders to advance investments supporting reliable service. Prior to FirstEnergy, he spent more than three decades at American Electric Power, including executive leadership roles overseeing generation, transmission and safety and serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Appalachian Power. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management from DeVry University.
Hanneke Counts Biography
Counts joins FirstEnergy with extensive experience leading global environmental, health and safety organizations. She most recently served as Senior Director of Global Environment, Health and Safety at Westinghouse Electric Company, where she transformed safety programs, strengthened risk identification and improved performance. Previously, she was Vice President of Global Health, Safety, Environment and Security at Eastman Chemical Company, leading a global team of more than 350 employees across 50+ sites and driving measurable improvements in safety performance and operational efficiency. She holds a Master of Engineering in Environmental Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University and is a Certified Safety Professional.
Daniel Puscas Biography
Puscas joins FirstEnergy with more than 20 years of experience leading technology and operations transformations. He most recently served as a partner at Fortium Partners, advising companies on technology strategy, operational improvements and restructuring initiatives. Previously, he was a Director at AlixPartners, where he served in multiple chief information officer and chief operating officer roles, leading transformations, post-merger integrations and cost optimization efforts and modernizing IT systems and enterprise resource planning platforms. Earlier, he held senior leadership roles at Comerica, leading large-scale technology operations and supporting multiple acquisitions. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.
Professional photos of Beam, Counts and Puscas are available for download on Flickr.
About FirstEnergy
FirstEnergy Corp. is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. It's electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than 6 million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
