ALLETE Inc. (NYSE:ALE) today announced several key leadership changes as the company continues to advance its sustainability in action strategy.
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Nicole Johnson (Photo: Business Wire)
Nicole Johnson has been named president of ALLETE Clean Energy. Johnson previously served as ALLETE’s chief administrative officer and continues to serve as an ALLETE vice president. ALLETE also announced that Al Rudeck, currently president of ALLETE Clean Energy, will take on the newly created role of ALLETE safety and external affairs officer. Josh Skelton, Minnesota Power chief operating officer, will assume an expanded leadership role as an ALLETE vice president.
“Today’s leadership changes are part of a broader strategic alignment of people and teams,” said Bethany Owen, ALLETE chair, president and CEO. “These changes position our company for the future and leverage a strong talent pipeline as we grow ALLETE and support our family of businesses while leading the way to a sustainable, clean-energy future.”
Nicole Johnson to lead ALLETE Clean Energy
Johnson, who was part of the formation of ALLETE Clean Energy more than 10 years ago, has served as ALLETE chief administrative officer since 2019. She will retain her current role as vice president-ALLETE along with serving as president of ALLETE Clean Energy.
“Nicole has helped develop and execute ALLETE’s strategic vision across all of our companies while fostering a strong, values-based culture,” Owen said. “Her experience with the launch of ALLETE Clean Energy more than a decade ago and the recent acquisition of New Energy Equity, along with her strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and focus on both external and internal relationships, make her well suited for this new role while she remains engaged at the ALLETE level in strategy development and execution.”
Johnson joined ALLETE as an intern in 1996 and was promoted to vice president of Human Resources in 2016. As chief administrative officer she’s had oversight of Human Resources, Cyber Technology Services, Environmental and Land Management. During her more than 25 years with the company she has developed strong human resources, merger and acquisition experience.
Johnson serves on the ALLETE boards of New Energy Equity and Superior Water, Light and Power, and will begin serving on the ALLETE Clean Energy board effective immediately. Johnson has served on the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, University of Minnesota – Duluth (UMD) Chancellor’s Advisory Council and the Duluth Workforce Council. She currently serves on UMD’s Labovitz School of Business and Economics Dean’s Business Advisory Council and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Diversity, and Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee.
Al Rudeck to take on newly created ALLETE role
Under Rudeck’s leadership, ALLETE Clean Energy has grown to be ALLETE’s second-largest company with a strong reputation as a respected wind developer and operator focused on customers and partnerships across eight states.
As ALLETE’s new safety and external affairs officer, Rudeck will have responsibility and broad oversight for the company’s safety and government affairs areas.
“Enhancing and elevating our safety processes and performances are core ALLETE values, and the legislative arena—including the Inflation Reduction Act recently signed into law—has never had greater potential for all of ALLETE’s businesses and for the customers and communities we serve,” Owen said. “Al’s passion for the safety of our people and our operations, as well as his strategic insights, and his extensive experience and community and industry connections in both the regulated and nonregulated areas, will serve ALLETE well in this new role.”
Rudeck has served as president of ALLETE Clean Energy since 2016. Before that he was Minnesota Power vice president of strategy and planning and held a variety of other roles at Minnesota Power. He serves on the Minnesota Chamber Board of Commerce, the Lignite Energy Council, the AEIC Board of Directors, the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD)/Natural Resources Research Institute Advisory Board, the UMD Swenson College Advisory Board, and serves as chair of the Northland Region Board of Thrivent Financial.
Josh Skelton elected VP-ALLETE
Skelton, who currently serves as Minnesota Power chief operating officer, will expand his role to include vice president of ALLETE. He oversees Minnesota Power’s strategy and planning, transmission and distribution operations, and generation operations and will have expanded responsibilities with the addition of regulatory affairs.
“I look forward to having Josh’s operations expertise and strategic perspectives at the ALLETE level, as we continue to execute Minnesota Power’s strategy, while meeting evolving regulatory and customer expectations,” Owen said.
Skelton started with the company in 1999 as an intern and has worked as facility engineer, technical superintendent and business unit manager at Minnesota Power generating facilities. He also served as the general manager and vice president of Generation Operations and was named Minnesota Power chief operating officer in 2020.
Skelton has served on the board of directors for the Range Engineering Council and the Minnesota Power Foundation, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital Board, and is currently serving on the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and Minnesota Safety Council.
ALLETE, Inc. is an energy company headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. In addition to its electric utilities, Minnesota Power and Superior Water, Light and Power of Wisconsin, ALLETE owns ALLETE Clean Energy, based in Duluth; BNI Energy in Bismarck, North Dakota; and New Energy Equity headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland; and has an 8% equity interest in the American Transmission Co. More information about ALLETE is available at www.allete.com.
ALE-CORP
The statements contained in this release and statements that ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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