NRG People Power: Get To Know Andrew Lather

Welcome to another edition of People Power, where we introduce you to the remarkable individuals driving innovation and excellence at NRG. Our June feature spotlights Director of Business Transformation, Andrew Lather.

For Andrew Lather, transformation isn’t just a noun in his title – it’s a mission, and he is approaching every challenge with an eye for evolution. ‘Transformation’ is defined as a radical alteration in the state of something. So, when asking NRG’s new Director of Business Transformation to describe his role, it’s apt for him to say it’s also “in flux.”

Even-keeled and reserved, Andrew exudes calm prudence. But under the surface, his mind is going a mile a minute, thinking five steps ahead about how to keep business processes moving smoothly or how to tear apart and rebuild systems and operations (including his own role).

Evolution is the name of the game for this team. In their first iteration, they focused on the company’s go-to-market strategy. Now, Andrew is building on that foundation by adding sales operations to their scope, assessing how we optimize data, processes, technologies, and culture.

In basic terms, the team looks at questions that pop up every day – how have we done things previously, how do we get a better result, how can we best serve customers – and then develops answers to those questions. “Show us the biggest struggle you’re having, and we’ll find a way to fix it,” Andrew promises.

By updating software, platforms, and internal processes and development, employees aren’t bogged down with technical issues and outdated procedures and can focus their attention on what really matters; sales are easier, contract processing time is cut down, emails can be responded to faster, and issues resolved with better turn times. By fixing things behind the scenes, Andrew and his team are making sure both employees and customers are having the most optimal experience.

Andrew’s entrance into the energy sector wasn’t an obvious first step. “I had no experience with energy. My degree was in economics,” he admits. But fresh out of The Ohio State University in 2007, his resume was selected by a recruiter for Direct Energy who was specifically looking to fill roles with candidates who had economics backgrounds.

He onboarded as a temporary contractor, processing power deals. The method was cumbersome; contract details would be printed out and then manually typed into the booking system. But it helped him learn the industry and shifted his mindset to potential improvements.

From there, Andrew joined Direct Energy Business full-time on the gas pricing team, continuing to gravitate toward modernizing outdated systems. He dug deeply into the process mechanics, determined to update and centralize the contract generation and data platforms.

Around that time, sales directors were implementing the “Your Turn” program, where employees would rotate through different teams, learning new skills and collaborating cross-functionally. Andrew immediately volunteered, gaining insights into power markets, sales operations and support, and small business. “I was learning all facets of the industry,” he says. “But it was also a chance for me to observe systems and best practices behind the scenes, to rebuild the engine so it runs better.”

Andrew carries the value of the rapport-building and networking he gained in the “Your Turn” program with him today. For him, there is no sense of imposter syndrome as he looks ahead to new challenges – he embraces his curiosity, creativity, and the deliberate exposure to the expertise of his colleagues. If there is something he’s interested in, he asks to be mentored in it. If he’s intrigued by a particular field, he doesn’t hold himself back by saying he doesn’t have the right training or experience. He pursues it by networking, educating, and advocating for himself.

Nothing is more indicative of this belief in putting himself out there than when Andrew learned that his friend and mentor, Tracy Sadowski, was transitioning out of her role as Director of Business Transformation. “I wanted the next step, and knew I could bring a different perspective to the table, so I asked our senior vice president if he thought I’d be a good fit,” he says. “It felt like a leap I had to take.”

His foundation in process improvement and reputation for providing reliable counsel and mentorship ultimately earned him the role. Today, Andrew is excited to guide this busy group, which has grown from a single-person operation to a thriving organizational department, ready to take on an ever-evolving future.

Andrew gained the values of family first, hard work, and strong relationships from his parents. His father owned an RV dealership, where Andrew helped out from a young age. By sixth grade, he had sold his first Winnebago, a local record that still stands. Though he may not have taken over the family business, the problem-solving and self-reliance he learned there became a core part of his professional ethos.

Andrew and his wife are both from Ohio, but met while working at Direct Energy Business’s Pittsburgh office. When their second child was born during the pandemic, they knew they needed their family and community back in Ohio. So, while he misses the inimitable Buffalo chicken pizza at his favorite Pittsburgh pizzeria, he’s happy to be putting down roots back home with his “personal champion” wife, their two daughters, and a third child on the way.

When he’s not traveling for work, Andrew stays active by coaching his kids’ softball team. Ever the numbers guy, he enjoys tracking the stock market and finds managing the family’s financial planning quite soothing after a hectic day. And when there’s a quiet moment, you can find him on his trusty Nintendo console, going on an adventure with Link and Zelda.

At every step of Andrew’s journey, there was always a hand helping him up, teaching and supporting him. He took that mentorship to heart and now applies it in his own relationships, taking pride in seeing people he has mentored have their own success. This investment in peer-led growth and strong connections deeply informs his goal of making sure that all employees have the tools and support they need to thrive in their current roles and boldly look ahead to the future of their careers.

With NRG launching new career development initiatives across the broader organization, Andrew is excited for the evolution of the employee journey. “We’re in an ideal position to completely transform the employee experience,” he affirms.

Andrew knows personally that when your employees feel valued, advocated for, and given opportunities to grow, you not only transform their experience – by extension, you transform the customer experience as well. So for him, the evolving holistic flow between employee and customer happiness will remain firmly pinned to the top of his transformational to-do list.