Denver, Colo., – June 23, 2020 – Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) today announced plans to combine the management of its electric and gas utilities in Colorado under a single strategic leader. Vance Crocker has been promoted to lead all the company’s Colorado-based utility business and operations, effective Aug. 1, 2020. Crocker will expand his responsibilities in his role as vice president of Colorado Electric with the strategic leadership and management of Colorado Gas. This change follows Susan Bailey’s retirement from Black Hills Energy after a successful 40+ years in the industry, having served the last four years as vice president of Colorado Gas.
Recognizing the company’s significant commitment to Colorado, Black Hills Energy added a new leadership position in Colorado to closely partner with Crocker and the company’s leadership team to manage matters impacting its 300,000 customers and 119 communities in the state. Nick Wagner is joining the company on July 27 as vice president of regulatory affairs and policy for the state of Colorado.
These changes will enhance the company’s strategic efforts in the many ways Black Hills Energy supports its customers and communities in Colorado. This includes the company’s ability to execute its strategy for customers related to environmental initiatives, greenhouse gas reductions, and renewable energy.
“We are fortunate to have Vance and Nick as leaders in Colorado. The new structure will more strategically align our leadership and our resources to serve and leverage an ever-changing energy landscape in Colorado and beyond,” said Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp. “The recent ballot initiative vote in support of retaining our franchise in Pueblo is encouraging. We are excited to continue our support of the long-term clean energy goals for Colorado while continuing to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy and service to our customers.”
Vance’s leadership has been displayed throughout his 30-year career with Black Hills Energy, most recently during his nearly three years in Southern Colorado. Since Vance joined Black Hills Energy in 1990 as an electric transmission and distribution engineer he has had several roles leading up to his most recent role in Colorado, including vice president of operations for the company’s electric utility serving South Dakota, northeast Wyoming and Montana and general manager of Black Hill Energy’s natural gas utility in Kansas. He will continue to live and work in Pueblo and will lead the Colorado electric and natural gas teams in their continued commitment to our customers.
Evans continues, “Vance’s new role will leverage his operational experience, familiarity with state, industry knowledge and customer focus to live our mission of improving life with energy in the communities we serve, and ensure we are ready to provide our Colorado customers with the valued service they’ve come to expect from Black Hills Energy.”
Wagner is an experienced energy professional and policymaker with a diverse and unique background in regulatory, legislative, management and engineering. His immediate past role was as a board member for the Iowa Utilities Board and he recently served as the 2019 president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Wagner is also a former state representative serving in the Iowa legislature and has also held numerous positions within engineering and research companies.