UI president Anthony Vallillo announces retirement

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — The president and chief operating officer of United Illuminating is announcing he will retire at the end of the year.

Anthony Vallillo also will step down as executive vice president of UI's parent company, UIL Holdings Corp., effective Dec. 31.

He will be succeeded as UI president by James Torgerson, chief executive of UIL Holdings. Torgerson praised Vallillo's "strategic vision" during 44 years with the company, where he started as an assistant engineer.

United Illuminating serves about 325,000 electricity customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas, including shoreline towns hard hit by Superstorm Sandy and a following nor'easter.

Vallillo said Friday he delayed his planned retirement announcement until the company completed restoration efforts after the storms.

New Haven-based UIL Holdings serves more than 700,000 electric and natural gas customers in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.