Joy Global chief John Hanson said Klappa’s extensive experience in power utilities and the global energy industry would be extremely valuable to the board.

“I am also pleased that the board of directors has taken action at this time to elect Mike Sutherlin to the board. This is an important step as we move deliberately through our executive transition process as Mike gets closer to assuming the CEO role,” Hanson said.

Klappa is chairman, president and chief executive of Wisconsin Energy Corporation and its principal utility subsidiary, We Energies. Prior to joining Wisconsin Energy in 2003, he served as executive vice-president, chief financial officer and treasurer of the Southern Company in Atlanta, Georgia.

Previously in his career, Klappa was the Southern Company’s chief strategic officer, the North American group president of Southern Energy (now Mirant) and president and CEO of South Western Electricity, the Southern Company’s electric distribution utility in the United Kingdom.

Sutherlin joined the company as president of Joy Mining Machinery in January 2003. Prior to that, he spent 27 years with Varco International. During his career with Varco, he held a variety of financial and operational positions including division president, group president, and president and chief operating officer.