Power Profile: Phillip James
Phillip James, vice president of WEG Transformers USA, testifies in support of the Power Predictability and Reliability Act during the bill's hearing in the Missouri Senate.
When a massive transformer was installed just a few miles from WEG Transformers USA’s Washington, Missouri, factory, it was one of the shortest deliveries the company had ever made. And, for Vice President Phillip James, it symbolized the strength of local manufacturing and the direct impact of Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan.
James leads WEG’s three Washington plants, which produce distribution and power transformers used by utilities, renewable projects, data centers, hospitals and universities across North America. Ameren Missouri is among the company’s largest customers, and the utility’s long-term investment in the grid has helped fuel WEG’s own growth.
Since acquiring the Washington operations in 2017, the company has steadily invested in expansion. More than 125 employees have been added, a new factory opened in 2021 and another facility has been modernized through multiple phases. Those investments, James noted, are tied directly to Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan.
“Some of the transformers that we’ve delivered to Ameren as part of the Smart Energy bills that have come through the Missouri Legislature since 2018 have come right from that expanded factory,” he said.
The Smart Energy Plan also has given WEG confidence to keep building. Knowing Ameren had a multi-year commitment to modernizing the grid made it easier to plan for capacity increases and workforce growth. James has even testified at the State Capitol about the importance of these policies.
“WEG creates great-paying jobs with incredible benefits in Washington for some of the best people on the planet, keeping the lights on, producing critical infrastructure for the United States of America,” he said. “Every time we receive an order from Ameren that is tied to one of those initiatives, the trickle-down effect is far beyond just building that one transformer.”
Inside the company, that same focus on people has defined WEG’s success. James credits its resilience during the pandemic and through supply chain turbulence to the dedication of his team.
“Anyone can buy the machines, anyone can put up the buildings. That’s just time and money. But you can’t buy and borrow people,” he said. “I’m very fortunate, very blessed to have a really great staff.”
That sense of pride extends to the community as well. WEG has become Franklin County’s largest United Way contributor, and James and his wife, Melissa, share that same commitment personally. Married 37 years with two adult children and two grandchildren, they purchased Vintage Trader, an antique shop in downtown Washington, in 2020. They also bought and restored a historic home there, something James said was a project they had always wanted to take on.
While James helps at the shop and in hunting down vintage inventory, he’s quick to note that it’s Melissa’s passion.
“She’s the brains behind that, not me,” he said, adding that everyone who comes in remarks on how great the store looks. But it’s still a project they tackle together, often taking them all over the region. “We’ve been in more attics and basements and barns in the St. Louis area than you can imagine.”
For James, investing in the place where he lives is just as important as investing in the people he employs. Living and working in downtown Washington has reinforced the connection he sees between industry and everyday life. Some of the very substations powered by WEG transformers deliver electricity to the homes of his employees, making the impact of Ameren’s Smart Energy Plan especially tangible.
“There’s an immense amount of pride,” he said. “Most people drive by a substation and think it should be hidden, but for us it represents keeping the lights on.”
With that foundation, James said WEG is looking ahead to even more growth, with a major project announcement set for later this year in partnership with the state, Ameren Missouri and the city of Washington. While the details are still under wraps, the direction is clear: continued expansion, more jobs and a deeper role in powering Missouri’s future.
And through it all, James keeps returning to the partnership at the center of WEG’s growth.
“I really appreciate and value our relationship with Ameren,” he said. “They are an incredible customer. It goes far beyond just selling them and servicing a product.”