Maxwell W Keith III

About Maxwell W Keith III

W. Keith Maxwell III is a prominent energy-sector executive and governance figure at Via Renewables, Inc. (formerly Spark Energy, Inc.), where he serves as Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Director. SEC filings show that he became permanent CEO in November 2020 after serving as interim CEO from March 2020 to November 2020, and that he has served on the board since August 2014. That long tenure places him at the center of the company’s strategic direction, oversight, and capital-structure evolution. ([sec.gov](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1606268/000160626826000020/spke-20251231.htm)) His career path is closely tied to the development of the U.S. retail energy and broader midstream energy markets. Before founding the predecessor of Via Renewables/Spark Energy in 1999, Maxwell was a founding partner of Wickford Energy in 1994, an oil and natural gas services company that was later sold to Black Hills Utilities in 1997. Earlier still, he was a partner at Polaris Pipeline, a natural gas producer, services, and midstream company that was sold to TECO Pipeline in 1994. He has also held executive roles at affiliated entities including NuDevco Partners, Retailco, Retailco Services, and National Gas & Electric. Taken together, these roles suggest deep experience in energy operations, commercial growth, and corporate structuring. ([sec.gov](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1606268/000160626826000020/spke-20251231.htm)) Maxwell’s notable achievements include building the business that became Spark Energy/Via Renewables, serving on the boards of Azure Midstream Partners GP, LLC and Marlin Midstream GP, LLC, and receiving the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2010 in the Energy, Chemicals and Mining category. The filings also state that he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987 and is a native of Houston, Texas. From a corporate-governance perspective, he indirectly owns all outstanding Class A and Class B common stock, making Via Renewables a NASDAQ “controlled company” and giving him unusually significant influence over board composition and related governance matters. ([sec.gov](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1606268/000160626826000020/spke-20251231.htm))