A Bold New Chapter: Smooth Media Acquires Energy Central to Shape the Future of Energy

On behalf of myself and Steve Drazga, CEO of Energy Central, I wanted to be the first to make this announcement to our revered Community Members.  Smooth Media has acquired Energy Central, and we are thrilled to join forces with their team. Together, we will continue Energy Central’s long-held mission to be an essential knowledge and community-sharing platform for the utility industry.

As you well know, the electric power industry is enormous. Seven of the ten largest companies by revenue in the world are in the energy and commodities space. The business of energy is around us every day, from the time we switch on the lights in the morning to the moment we plug in our phones before bed—it is a fundamental industry with vast geopolitical, environmental, regulatory, and economic implications.

But the space is changing rapidly…

• The shift to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources will require a large-scale reskilling of the workforce.
• Technological shifts like AI mean energy must similarly change. Ever thought about how those massive data centers being built all over the country will power their servers? The electric power industry has.
• Energy is a space marked by frequent policy tide changes and significant amounts of federal funding. In fact, investment across all energy sources will total $2.8 trillion in 2024.

Energy Central has been and intends to continue to stay at the forefront of this evolving industry. “Since 1995 Energy Central has been an invaluable resource for Electric Power Professionals,” said Steve Drazga, founder of Energy Central. “With more than 200,000 members today it is the leading platform for the sharing of industry knowledge and expertise. Combining with Smooth Media’s expertise and leadership opens exciting new opportunities to serve electric power industry professionals with content powered by a thriving community, high-octane partnerships with leading brands, and a space for electric power leaders to come together.”

Who is Smooth Media? 

Since 2021, the Smooth Media team (founded by ex-Morning Brew operations, strategy, and editorial leaders Josh Kaplan, Jenny Rothenberg, and Kinsey Grant) has been representing knowledge creators and building a portfolio of next-generation media assets. 

Smooth Media’s mission is to usher in a new era of business media—one powered by content, community, and creators that educates, empowers, and engages professional audiences.

That commitment is deepening even further through bringing Energy Central under the Smooth Media umbrella. Together, our teams plan to continue advancing Energy Central’s content and community and combine the Smooth Media sales teams to cement Energy Central as a vital part of the lives of electric power professionals everywhere. 

What Does This Mean for Energy Central’s Existing Partners? 

All existing partnerships, agreements, and processes will continue seamlessly as we enter this new era for Energy Central. With the combined strengths of the Smooth Media and Energy Central teams, you can look forward to even better services and resources. Expect more of what you’ve trusted from Energy Central: high-quality content, a vital networking platform for utility professionals, and much more.

Plus, Smooth Media is investing in an Editorial Team of journalists to enhance and complement the ongoing Community Team and regular stream of content from the Energy Central Community Members.

And, I am staying on as VP of Marketing Services and will continue in that role, and Founder Steve Drazga is staying on as an advisor. 

Do You Have Further Questions, Thoughts, Ideas, or Simply Want to Meet to Learn More? 

The Smooth Media team is excited to hear your thoughts, questions, and ideas for this new era of Energy Central. We value your input on how we can continue to grow the community platform and strengthen industry connections.  We invite you to schedule a few minutes to meet our new CEO, Josh Kaplan. You can book time with him on the calendar using this calendar link. 

The entire Energy Central team is thrilled about the fresh energy and opportunities that the Smooth Media team will bring, enabling us to meet the needs of the utility sector better than ever before. We’re excited to take you, our Community Members, along on this journey into a new era. Stay tuned—exciting things are on the horizon, and you won’t want to miss them!