Kevin Francis Cadden
December 9, 1951 ~ July 19, 2019
Kevin Cadden, 67, passed away suddenly on July 19, 2019, at his home in McLean, Virginia. He was an energy administrator, lobbyist, consultant, and entrepreneur. After graduating from Ohio Northern University in 1974, he began his career as a public servant working in an ombudsman program of the PA Governor’s Office, the Governor’s Action Center. A longtime employee of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), he later served as Director of the Office of External Affairs of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in Washington.
Cadden joined the Pennsylvania PUC in 1976, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, which culminated in his appointment as Manager of Communications. Kevin spent his early career at the Bureau of Consumer Services, where he helped consumers resolve problems in their vital utility services and working to make systemic improvements in those services. Among other important roles, he later served as the original Chair of PUC’s Pilot Implementation Committee, which developed rules, essentially from scratch, for the first phase of retail electric choice in Pennsylvania. Upon his retirement from the PUC in 2001, then-PUC Chairman Glen Thomas commended Cadden’s years of government service: “Kevin has been instrumental in the success of this Commission, and the most competitive and successful electric-choice program in the nation."
Cadden moved to Washington in 2001, where he was appointed Director of the Office of External Affairs of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by then-FERC Chairman Pat Wood. He was Chairman Wood’s first appointment. During his time at FERC, the agency issued landmark decisions affecting the electric and natural gas industries, including orders dealing with the California electricity crisis/Enron scandal, organized electric markets, regional transmission organizations, interconnection of new power plants, and licensing of hydroelectric plants. In 2004, at the conclusion of his service at FERC, Cadden was presented the Exemplary Public Service Award by Chairman Wood. That year he returned to the Pennsylvania PUC as Director of the Bureau of Conservation, Economics & Energy Planning, appointed by then-PUC Chairman Terry Fitzpatrick.
Cadden enjoyed golf (especially at the Country Club of Harrisburg Club, where he was a member), vacationing on the ocean, Penn State and Philadelphia Eagles football (even during “problematic seasons”), reading presidential biographies, fine dining and good wine, and using his backyard grill at every opportunity in every season. He possessed the gift of laughter in abundance and strived to make people both smile and laugh.
Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Saint Catherine Laboure Elementary School, Bishop McDevitt High School and Ohio Northern University. Cadden was the son of the late Francis L. and Lucille A. Cadden. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Kimberly Nelson, daughters Kelsey and Mackenzie, of Washington, D.C., and brother Michael, of Princeton, N.J.
A celebration will be held August 17 at the Country Club of Harrisburg. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a donation to Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania or the Capital Area Food Bank.
Cadden joined the Pennsylvania PUC in 1976, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, which culminated in his appointment as Manager of Communications. Kevin spent his early career at the Bureau of Consumer Services, where he helped consumers resolve problems in their vital utility services and working to make systemic improvements in those services. Among other important roles, he later served as the original Chair of PUC’s Pilot Implementation Committee, which developed rules, essentially from scratch, for the first phase of retail electric choice in Pennsylvania. Upon his retirement from the PUC in 2001, then-PUC Chairman Glen Thomas commended Cadden’s years of government service: “Kevin has been instrumental in the success of this Commission, and the most competitive and successful electric-choice program in the nation."
Cadden moved to Washington in 2001, where he was appointed Director of the Office of External Affairs of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by then-FERC Chairman Pat Wood. He was Chairman Wood’s first appointment. During his time at FERC, the agency issued landmark decisions affecting the electric and natural gas industries, including orders dealing with the California electricity crisis/Enron scandal, organized electric markets, regional transmission organizations, interconnection of new power plants, and licensing of hydroelectric plants. In 2004, at the conclusion of his service at FERC, Cadden was presented the Exemplary Public Service Award by Chairman Wood. That year he returned to the Pennsylvania PUC as Director of the Bureau of Conservation, Economics & Energy Planning, appointed by then-PUC Chairman Terry Fitzpatrick.
Cadden enjoyed golf (especially at the Country Club of Harrisburg Club, where he was a member), vacationing on the ocean, Penn State and Philadelphia Eagles football (even during “problematic seasons”), reading presidential biographies, fine dining and good wine, and using his backyard grill at every opportunity in every season. He possessed the gift of laughter in abundance and strived to make people both smile and laugh.
Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Saint Catherine Laboure Elementary School, Bishop McDevitt High School and Ohio Northern University. Cadden was the son of the late Francis L. and Lucille A. Cadden. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Kimberly Nelson, daughters Kelsey and Mackenzie, of Washington, D.C., and brother Michael, of Princeton, N.J.
A celebration will be held August 17 at the Country Club of Harrisburg. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a donation to Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania or the Capital Area Food Bank.
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