Josh Skelton has been promoted to chief operating officer of Minnesota Power, ALLETE President and CEO Bethany Owen announced on November 23. Minnesota Power is a utility division of ALLETE Inc. (NYSE: ALE). Skelton, formerly vice president Generation Operations and ALLETE Safety, has been with Minnesota Power for 20 years, beginning his career with the company as an engineering intern in 1999. He takes the helm of the company at a time of rapidly evolving challenges and opportunities in the energy landscape and as COO will have oversight of Minnesota Power’s thermal and renewable energy operations. “Josh’s well-deserved promotion reflects ALLETE’s success in developing top talent at Minnesota Power and at all of our companies,” Owen said. “He brings a wealth of experience to this expanded role with Minnesota Power, and I am confident in his leadership as Minnesota Power continues to focus on serving customers with excellence and delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy. With Josh’s strong values-based and people-focused leadership, Minnesota Power will continue leading the clean energy transition and carbon reduction through its EnergyForward strategy while delivering value to customers and communities and providing opportunities for our talented employees.” Skelton’s broad experience at various levels at Minnesota Power is complemented by his finance and governance experience with community and industry organizations, including the Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital Board and the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies. “I’m honored to have been a part of Minnesota Power during some remarkably transformative times,” Skelton said. “Minnesota Power has a long history serving the region’s evolving energy needs while preserving reliability and protecting affordability for customers, and the next steps in our transformation will require continued talent development and deployment, innovation, and the ability to be flexible and adaptable to meet our commitments.” Skelton has served in a variety of roles at Minnesota Power. They include facility engineer, technical superintendent, and business unit manager at a number of MP’s generating stations, including the Laskin, Rapids, and Boswell energy centers, and he also has served as general manager Thermal Operations for Minnesota Power. Skelton was named vice president Generation Operations in 2016 and in 2019 he assumed leadership of the ALLETE Safety and Operational Team, which includes safety leaders from each ALLETE business and focuses on safety strategy across the company. Skelton has a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University and a master’s in engineering management from the University of Minnesota. He also is a professional engineer in the state of Minnesota. Skelton serves on the board of directors for the Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital Board, Minnesota Safety Council, AEIC Power Generation Committee and is a former director of the Minnesota Power Foundation and the Range Engineering Council. He also serves on the Industrial Advisory Board for FM Global and is an alum of the Minnesota Chamber – Leadership Minnesota Program.