José Delgado, a longtime executive at Wisconsin Electric and American Transmission Company, died Sunday, according to a statement from the University of Wisconsin System.
Delgado had served as a member of the UW System Board of Regents since 2014.
“Regent Delgado was a champion of higher education as a way to improve lives and communities in Wisconsin while holding the UW System accountable. He was continually looking for ways to stay involved in his community and his state. We will all miss his charm and grace at our meetings and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family,” UW System president Tommy Thompson and UW Board of Regents president Andrew Petersen said in a statement.
The UW System statement did not address a cause of death.
Delgado oversaw the creation of Pewaukee-based American Transmission Co., the first multi-state, transmission-only utility in the country, in 2001. He retired from ATC in 2010 after serving as the utility’s president and chief executive officer.
Prior to ATC, Delgado spent 27 years at Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Electric, starting as an electrical engineer and eventually serving as vice president of electric system operations.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued a statement on Delgado’s passing.
“I was saddened today to learn of the loss of Regent José Delgado. I served with Regent Delgado during my time on the Board of Regents and always appreciated his unique perspective in our conversations about the challenges facing the University of Wisconsin System. Kathy and I offer our sincerest condolences to Regent Delgado’s family and as well as his colleagues on the Board of Regents as they mourn his passing.”
Delgado earned bachelor’s and masters degrees in electrical engineering from Marquette University and a MBA from UW-Milwaukee.
In addition to the Board of Regents, Delgado also served on the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and the Chancellor’s Council of Corporate Sponsors and School of Business Advisory Council at UWM. He was also previously on the boards of St. Anthony’s School and the United Community Center in Milwaukee.
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