FirstEnergy Corp. announced on November 2, 2026, that Don Rettig has been named Vice President and FirstEnergy Foundation President, leading the company's philanthropic strategy and charitable investments across its operational area.

Key Highlights

  • New appointment: Don Rettig named Vice President and FirstEnergy Foundation President, reporting to Wade Smith, President, FirstEnergy Utilities.
  • Prior role: Rettig joins from Owens Corning, where he served as director of community affairs and president of the Owens Corning Foundation, with philanthropic reach across 20 countries.
  • Foundation history: Since 2001, the FirstEnergy Foundation has donated nearly $140 million to nonprofit organizations across the company's operational area.
  • 2026 giving priorities: The Foundation is focused on four areas: housing stability, hunger relief, workforce development, and STEM education.
  • Hunger relief investment: The Foundation invested $5 million in Hunger Action Month grants in 2026, doubling support from 2025.
  • Housing initiative: Funding for the Shelter, Safety and Stability initiative increased to $500,000 in 2026, five times the 2025 investment.
  • 2026 distributions: Nearly $6.5 million in community support has been distributed across FirstEnergy's operational area so far in 2026.

Rettig's Appointment and the FirstEnergy Foundation's 2026 Direction

According to the announcement, Don Rettig will lead the Foundation's philanthropic strategy and oversee charitable investments supporting communities across FirstEnergy's operational area. He will work closely with company leaders and organizations to advance the Foundation's charitable giving priorities, and will report to Wade Smith, President, FirstEnergy Utilities. The filing quotes Smith as saying: "Don has spent his career bringing companies and communities together and knows that doing this work well means understanding community needs, building relationships and being disciplined about where we focus our resources."

The filing states that Rettig previously served as director of community affairs and president of the Owens Corning Foundation, having joined Owens Corning in 2011. In that role, he led global community affairs and philanthropic strategy, increasing corporate contributions and helping expand the foundation's impact across 20 countries. Before Owens Corning, the filing notes, Rettig spent 14 years with Metroparks Toledo in several leadership roles, including executive director. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Master of Public Administration from Bowling Green State University, and currently serves as a trustee of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation.

The filing reports that in 2026, the Foundation sharpened its focus on four charitable giving priorities: housing stability, hunger relief, workforce development, and STEM education. The Foundation, listed on NYSE:FE, invested $5 million in Hunger Action Month grants in 2026, described in the filing as doubling support from 2025, and increased funding for its Shelter, Safety and Stability initiative to $500,000, five times its 2025 investment. Since 2001, the Foundation has donated nearly $140 million to nonprofit organizations, according to the disclosure.

What Was Disclosed

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE) disclosed the appointment of Don Rettig as Vice President and FirstEnergy Foundation President, along with updated figures on the Foundation's 2026 charitable investments, giving priorities, and grant totals across its operational area.