Peggy Fowler

Peggy Y. Fowler (born July 14, 1951) is an American businessperson in the state of Oregon. She was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Portland General Electric (PGE), and as of 2007 was the 11th highest-paid CEO in Oregon. A native of Idaho, she worked for PGE, a private electric utility, from 1974 to 2009.

Early life Peggy Fowler was born in Nampa, Idaho, on July 14, 1951. The daughter of a Quaker minister, J. Russell Stands and Frances Martin Stands, she grew up in Oregon, first in Portland. Growing up in a religious household, she did not watch TV at home until around age 10, and did not attend a movie until reaching college. At college she majored in chemistry and mathematics. She was married a first time at age 21, with a divorce resulting within a few years. She was president of Enron’s Portland General Holdings corporation from 1999 to 2003 when it filed for bankruptcy. She was then named chairperson of the board for PGE in 2001, remaining in that position until early 2004. In April 2006, PGE became its own company again when its stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Fowler and seven other employees of the utility rang the opening bell at the stock exchange on April 10, 2006. In 2007, Fowler was paid by PGE a total of almost $2.3 million in compensation, making her the 11th highest paid CEO in Oregon, and the highest paid female CEO in the state. Fowler retired from the company in March 2009 and joined the board of directors where she stayed until May 2012. She joined the board of directors at Umpqua Holdings Corp. in 2009 and became chair of the board in 2012.

Other Peggy Fowler is married and has two stepchildren. and awarded the Portland First Citizen Award.