William McCollam, who led the Edison Electric Institute as president from 1978 to 1990, died July 30 of natural causes. He was 91.

McCollam was a graduate of U.S. Military Academy at West Point and U.S. Army veteran who earned two Bronze Star medals during the Korean War. After his career in the military—which included returning to West Point as an instructor—he became an energy industry executive. He joined EEI after several years as president of New Orleans Public Service, an electric utility and former mass transit provider that is now a subsidiary of energy company Entergy.

During his time as head of EEI, McCollam started a regular meeting of utility CEOs from around the world and helped draft international energy policy. He became an energy management consultant after he retired from the group in 1990. Tom Kuhn was installed as EEI president after McCollam's departure.

In addition to his military service, McCollam had a master's degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He is survived by his wife, three children and several grandchildren.

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