Rapid City, S.D. – 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 businesses 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.
Recognizing its significant commitment to Colorado, Black Hills added a new leadership position in Colorado to closely partner with Crocker and the company’s leadership team to manage regulatory and policy matters impacting its business. Nick Wagner is joining the company on July 27 as vice president of regulatory affairs and policy for the state of Colorado.
This new management structure will position the company to further define and execute the company’s overall Colorado strategy, improve key stakeholder relationships and deliver improved results for customers and the business. These changes will enhance the company’s strategic efforts on the many policy issues that impact the company and its customers, including environmental initiatives that drive energy policy, greenhouse gas reductions and renewable energy policies.
“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.”
Crocker is a 30-year veteran of Black Hills Corp. with leadership and operational expertise in both gas and electric utilities. Prior to his promotion, Crocker served as vice president of Colorado Electric for the past three years, where his leadership was evident in the successful public vote concerning its franchise agreement in Pueblo, Colorado. Previously, Crocker was vice president for South Dakota Electric and general manager of Kansas Gas. Crocker started his career at Black Hills in 1990 as an electric transmission and distribution engineer.
In his new role, Wagner will lead the company’s Colorado regulatory affairs before state and federal regulatory agencies with a focus on further engaging in the policy issues that are driving the energy industry. Wagner and his team will partner with corporate leadership regarding policy matters that arise in Colorado and throughout its entire business.
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.
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