Richard Wise currently serves as Citizens Energy Group’s Supplier Diversity Administrator within its Supply Chain Department. Richard’s primary responsibility is to maintain a robust supplier diversity program, underpinned in integrity, to ensure that local certified minority, women and veteran owned business enterprises (MBE/WBE/VBE) are enabled to compete and be considered for business opportunities within Citizens five utilities - water, wastewater, chilled water and steam, gas and oil production. In fiscal year 2015, Citizens spent over $128 million dollars with certified MBE/WBE/VBE firms, largely due to strategic internal and external team partnering efforts framed within its Supply Chain’s supplier diversity program. In 2015, during the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council Annual Awards Dinner, Citizens Energy Group was awarded the 2014 MBE Total Spend Award for having the largest spend with minority business enterprises in Indiana. In 2014, during a Visionary Awards Luncheon, Richard and Citizens Energy Group were presented the 2014 Indianapolis Choice Visionary Award by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Indianapolis Chapter. Recipients of this annual award are recognized for enabling women business owners to achieve their potential, improving the climate for women businesses, and fulfilling the potential of their economic and social contributions to the state. Over 700 people attended the event.

Before joining Citizens, Richard served as Administrator and Assistant Administrator for the City of Indianapolis, Department of Public Works (DPW), overseeing the City’s environmental compliance and enforcement programs. Richard also served as the DPW contact, working in concert with the City’s Department of Minority and Women Business Development in promoting MBE/WBE/VBE participation in city contracts, goods and services for DPW.

Prior to joining the City of Indianapolis, Richard co-developed and managed ICCMODS, Inc., a nonprofit research and survey center, to promote the benefits of management of onsite/decentralized wastewater systems to meet small community wastewater collection, treatment and disposal needs. Richardconducted statewide surveys of onsite cluster systems and other innovative alternative wastewater systems serving small communities, prepared reports, developed case studies and assisted in the development of a database to track management and performance outcomes of these types of wastewater collection and treatment systems. Richard also provided technical assistance and training to small rural community leaders to assist them in weighing their wastewater collection and treatment options.

Richard co-directed the management and operations of a non-profit technical assistance provider program to ensure Indiana's small rural communities had access to safe drinking water and adequate means of managing their wastewater and solid waste needs. Richard promoted and facilitated planning and development of water, wastewater and solid waste projects for small communities under 10,000 in population. In addition to hiring and training personnel to distribute work load and implement program deliverables, Richard prepared loan documents, budgets, and administered planning funds to assure compliance with funding programs.