Bob Bell Joins UVM firm AERI as New CEO

Utility vegetation management (UVM) firm AERI has named Bob Bell its new chief executive officer, effective Sept. 1, 2021. Prior to joining AERI, Bell managed PG&E’s transmission vegetation management program where he set strategic direction of a program with a $195 million budget. Bell was responsible for managing critical corridors to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations in a safe, reliable and environmentally sustainable fashion. Bell’s career at PG&E spanned nearly two decades, and in the last 12 years he led an in-house professional team and oversaw operations of approximately 500 contractors, all of whom were responsible for the safe and reliable delivery of bulk electric power.

Bell joined PG&E after a career with Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM), where he was responsible for all aspects of PNM’s vegetation management department. During his tenure at PNM, the vegetation team reduced tree-related outage duration by 90%, helping the utility earn the status of most reliable utility in the U.S. as recognized by the Edison Electric Institute. And prior to working with PNM, Bob led the vegetation inspection team at City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri.

Bell’s leadership in the UVM industry is well known. He recently chaired the North American Transmission Forum VM Practices Group, and is past president of the Utility Arborist Association, past president of Think Trees New Mexico, past officer of the Midwest Chapter of the ISA, past president of the Missouri Community Forestry Council, past board member of the New Mexico Highlands University Natural Resources advisory board and a participant in the Edison Electric Institute’s Vegetation Management Task Force. Bell has been involved in numerous industry-leading public speaking programs and is the author of multiple publications concerning vegetation management.

Over the years, Bell has taken a lead role in modernizing utilities and their approach to vegetation management. He has consulted with numerous utilities across the country, including Philadelphia Electric Co., Metropolitan Edison, Dayton Power & Light, Trans-Alta Utilities, Potomac Edison, Wisconsin Utilities Electric Association, New England Electric System, Conrail, Washington Water Power and Indiana Power & Light.

“I really feel as though my career has led me to this place in this moment,” said Bell. “I am privileged to have spent so much of my career either leading or working alongside some of the strongest teams and brightest individuals in the industry. I’ve learned volumes from each of them. In the case of my tenure with PG&E, it has literally and figuratively been a trial by fire. Yet recently, the women and men of the VM Transmission Team just delivered their 12th consecutive year of 100 percent federal compliance and fifth consecutive year of 100 percent compliance with state UVM regulations and PG&E performance standards. AERI has the team and the technology in place to achieve equally impressive results for our company and our clients; and I look forward to being a part of it.”

“Our lengthy search for a CEO led us to a perfect candidate in Bob Bell. In addition to having an academic background in both forestry and business, Bob has a proven track record of identifying opportunities for improvement and effecting positive change to accomplish those objectives. He is the right person to move AERI forward as AERI expands in the utility vegetation management industry. I am extremely happy to have Bob join and lead our very talented team,” said Akan Ismaili, Chairman of AERI.

Bell isn’t shy about pointing out that early in his career, he was the one wielding the chainsaw and dragging brush.

“It’s that personal connection to the work performed in the field that gives me the confidence to know that Bob will always stay focused on the health and safety of our crews – we can never compromise on safety,” said Akan.

Asomeo Environmental Restoration Industry, “AERI,” provides utility vegetation management and defensible space services from its headquarters in Sacramento, California.