Dr. W. Gill Wylie

Dr. Walker Gill Wylie was a physician and electrical engineer who studied the hydroelectric potential of the Catawba River and believed cheap electricity could transform the Carolina textile industry. His defining founding decision was to form Catawba Power Company in 1900 with $50,000 in capital, despite skepticism from mill owners who doubted electricity could replace steam power. Wylie's vision of centralized hydroelectric generation powering regional industrial development established the business model that Duke Energy still operates today.

Dr. Walker Gill Wylie (1848–1923) was an American physician, electrical engineer, and utility pioneer who founded Catawba Power Company, the precursor to Duke Energy. Born in South Carolina, Wylie studied medicine and engineering before recognizing the hydroelectric potential of the Catawba River in North Carolina. In 1900, he organized Catawba Power Company with $50,000 in capital and a plan to build hydroelectric dams at India Hook Shoals. In 1904, the company was reorganized as Southern Power Company, and Wylie recruited James Buchanan Duke as the controlling investor. Wylie served as president until 1907 and remained on the board until his death in 1923, having established the foundation for one of America's largest utilities.