Robert Catell
Hall of Fame
Catell is, quite literally, on the power list. After starting out working in the streets as an employee of Brooklyn Union Gas in 1958, Catell climbed the corporate ladder, rising to be top boss and one of the most recognizable faces in the entire industry. As the energy field has become more highly scrutinized over the last decade, Catell has remained at the forefront, representing both big business and the worried ratepayer. The recent acquisition of Keyspan by British company National Grid vaulted Catell to an international stage. Now, he is looking to the future. His involvement as co-chair of Stony Brook University’s Advanced Energy Research Technology Center, which was established to explore new methods of energy generation, is an important addition to the Catell legacy. And, as people begin to make sense of the Keyspan/National Grid merger, Catell is likely to peel away quietly and head in other directions. Few on the Power List are as popular as Catell, in as many circles. Power has always been his business. He has used it to his advantage.
Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2008