MELISSA SEIXAS

PRESIDENT, DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, ST. PETERSBURG

Duke supplies power to more than 4 million people and businesses across 35 counties. It has about 3,700 employees. Seixas has nearly 40 years of service with Duke, starting at the operations center at age 19, when she worked part-time drawing maps of poles and wires that serve customers. She has been president of the company since 2021.

EDUCATION: Eckerd College (BA), University of South Florida (MA)

NOTABLE TRENDS: We're planning for industries that didn't exist a decade ago — like streaming, cloud computing and AI — while still investing wisely and modernizing responsibly. We're committed to innovation, but we haven't lost sight of our primary goal: providing safe, reliable power, at the lowest possible price, for all of our customers.

GIVING BACK: My husband Greg was given just a 3% to 5% chance of surviving Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It was a long battle, but he won — thanks to the team at Moffitt Cancer Center. It means the world to me to be able to support their lifesaving work.

IN MY DOWNTIME: While spending time with my family is my favorite thing to do, I also dabble in candle making. It's a way to unwind after a long day, and the candles themselves make great gifts. I even branded them “Lulu Candles” — a nod to the name my grandchildren gave me.

FOOD FIX: Black beans and rice with lots of jalapenos.