Rodney Cole, President DTE Foundation and DTE Corporate Citizenship, and Evette Griffe, Vice President Customer & Community Engagement
Refreshed organizational structure reinforces DTE’s continued commitment to community engagement
DTE Energy recently announced two promotions in key leadership roles that will further the company’s focus on customer and community engagement. Rodney Cole has been named president, DTE Foundation and DTE Corporate Citizenship, taking on responsibilities of the retiring vice president of Public Affairs and president of the DTE Foundation, Lynette Dowler, who is retiring after nearly 40 years of service to the company. The company also named Evette Griffe to vice president, Customer & Community Engagement, which includes a team previously led by Dowler. Griffie will also oversee the company’s efforts to connect in-need customers with energy assistance in the form of affordable payment plans, financial aid and other relief.
“DTE and the DTE Foundation are committed to serving with our energy, making a meaningful and equitable difference through our statewide corporate citizenship efforts. These team members embody this mission and will accelerate our efforts to foster stronger communities,” said Jerry Norcia, DTE chairman and CEO. “I also thank Lynette Dowler for her immeasurable contributions and decades of partnership supporting our customers and DTE.”
In her 40 years at DTE, Dowler served as a key leader across many business units and functions including safety, nuclear supply chain management and the River Rouge and Trenton Channel Power Plants.
Cole will lead the DTE Foundation’s operations and grant strategies and play a key role in advancing DTE’s efforts to support Michigan’s economy through job creation and workforce development, social justice and racial equity, and environmental stewardship. Cole also will lead efforts to strengthen neighborhoods and further the company’s corporate citizenship initiatives throughout DTE’s service territory.
During his 18-year career at DTE, Cole has led business units across the enterprise, including state government affairs and human resources. Cole serves on the board of directors for the American Association for Blacks in Energy (Michigan), Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan, Connect Detroit, Midnight Golf, and Michigan Humane. He also serves on the Wayne State University Press Board of Visitors and as a member of Teen Hype’s Advisory Board and the Detroit Regional Chamber Advocacy Advisory Council. Cole is a graduate of Leadership Detroit Class XXXV and the 2018 cohort of Harvard University’s Young American Leaders Program (YALP). He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University.
Griffe will serve in a newly expanded position that leads DTE’s customer and community engagement efforts as well as the initiatives to deliver energy assistance to vulnerable customers, which was previously held by Tamara Johnson, director, Revenue Management & Protection, who is retiring after working for DTE to help customers and communities for 20 years. Griffie will oversee teams committed to building and extending partnerships throughout the communities DTE serves in addition to connecting in-need customers to financial aid and payment plans. She has been with DTE for eight years, most recently serving as director of Customer Strategy & Insights, where she led consumer affairs and research teams to enhance the customer experience.
Prior to joining DTE, Griffie gained leadership experience in in roles such as manager of External Affairs at AT&T Michigan. In each position, she has been a bridge builder, forming deep relationships throughout the communities she served. She is currently on the board of the Belle Isle Conservancy and Big Brothers Big Sisters Detroit. She regularly mentors local students and has served on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners as well as the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Griffie holds both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
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