Dedicated team. Decades of experience.
Our team has successfully completed hundreds of community energy projects ranging from feasibility studies to design, construction, upgrades, conversions, and expansions. Our most recognized system is the highly acclaimed nonprofit utility, District Energy St. Paul, which serves as an international model for community energy systems. We are the partner that can provide you with the peace-of-mind to launch your utility project.
Leadership
Luke Gaalswyk
President and Chief Executive Officer
Luke Gaalswyk
President and Chief Executive Officer
As President and CEO of Ever-Green Energy and its parent company, District Energy St. Paul, Luke Gaalswyk leads a dynamic team across both companies. Guided by our core values, under Luke’s leadership, Ever-Green has seen an expansion of our operational footprint in the Twin Cities, and a build out of the organization’s capacity to develop innovative approaches to sustainable building heating and cooling, including networked geothermal and waste heat recycling solutions from wastewater treatment facilities and data centers.
Prior to joining Ever-Green, Luke served in leadership roles in power generation and district energy industries with Xcel Energy and NRG Thermal (now Cordia). Luke has dedicated his career to energy, operations, and engineering since 2007, relying on the skills and strong foundation he built as an officer in the United States Air Force as a hallmark of his leadership style. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, working alongside other Saint Paul-based employers to make our local business district vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive. Serving as a drill-status member of the Minnesota Air National Guard allows Luke to live out his strong-held value of service in all areas of his professional career.
“The core value that resonates with me the most in this period of growth we are in is people matter,” Luke explains. “The way that we treat each other as colleagues, our vendors, our customers, and the broader communities we work in all matters and is part of who we are as a company. We are people serving people, advancing and operating energy systems as a trusted partner, aiming to earn and hold the respect of the campuses and communities we serve.”
He holds a BS in mechanical engineering from the US Air Force Academy and a MS in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton.
Andrew Kasid
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Andrew Kasid
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Andrew Kasid has brought his keen financial knowledge and strong analytical abilities to District Energy St. Paul and later its affiliate companies since 1990. Under his leadership, District Energy St. Paul has developed a financial structure that supports a long history of stable rates for customers, with the combined demand and energy rates staying below the rate of inflation for three decades for heating and two decades for cooling.
Andrew relies on his extensive experience with commercial and investment banking projects to execute many functions, including equity financings, fixed and variable rate tax-exempt and taxable financings, private and public offerings, revenue bond financings utilizing bank letters of credit, implementing interest rate hedging strategies, and overseeing the bond rating process.
Across all of Ever-Green Energy’s business affiliates and operations, Andrew is responsible for the financial management, project finance, financial strategic planning, financial analysis of business opportunities, forecasting and budgeting, financial risk management, energy rate setting and analysis, energy futures contracts, analysis of energy purchases, and investment analysis and management.
When asked what professional achievement he is most proud of, Andrew shared that he finds value in “helping contribute to the growth of our companies over the last 35 years as we help systems reach their sustainability goals.”
He holds a BA in Financial Economics from Gustavus Adolphus College, an MBA in Finance from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and he has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the CFA Institute.
Michael Ahern
Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer
Michael Ahern
Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer
Since 2010, Michael Ahern has applied his diligent and solutions-driven leadership to Ever-Green Energy, holding executive responsibility for the growth and management of Ever-Green’s system development team. He focuses on the development and advancement of energy and utility systems across the US and Canada. He has a proven track record of leading teams to identify low-carbon and no-carbon energy solutions, evaluating their viability, and integrating emerging technologies with existing and new utility systems.
Michael excels in leading the development, engineering, construction, operations, and management of industrial and energy systems. He has provided operational oversight of businesses in the industrial and energy fields, with a specific focus on district systems over the last fifteen years. At Ever-Green, he leads the development and advancement of mission-based campus and community energy and utility systems that achieve clients’ strategic goals.
“I am proud of the way in which our System Development Group and our Operations & Management teams collaborate,” Michael shares. “We are continuously learning from each other, and we work very closely to help our clients achieve their system goals. The teams work together with a shared passion and humility, recognizing we have many subject matter experts that can help advance the systems we operate and support.”
He holds a BS in Business Finance from the University of Notre Dame, with an International Business Minor.
Michael Auger
Senior Vice President, Chief Business Officer
Michael Auger
Senior Vice President, Chief Business Officer
Michael Auger plays a pivotal role in advancing systems and processes across business and administrative services by overseeing to day-to-day operations and developing and executing Ever-Green Energy’s overall strategy to achieve company goals.
He is adept in managing various energy, environmental, finance, employment, and corporate legal matters. His thorough knowledge of the legal landscape allows Michael to identify and analyze legal issues, draft recommendations, assure legal compliance, and guard against corporate risk.
Michael leads Ever-Green’s policy and government relations work, and provides guidance on topics related to law, regulatory compliance, organizational structure, finance, and contracting for all of the company’s operations and consulting projects. The Information Systems, System Business Development, Environmental, Health, and Safety departments are also under his leadership.
The Ever-Green core value that resonates with Michael the most is Integrity in All We Do.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of South Dakota and earned his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law.
Michael Burns
Senior Vice President, Chief System Operations Officer
Michael Burns
Senior Vice President, Chief System Operations Officer
Michael Burns and his wealth of operations experience in overseeing utility operations has been an asset to Ever-Green Energy and its affiliate companies since 1998. As a leader of the operation and maintenance teams at Ever-Green’s energy generation facilities, his expertise lies in engineering and management of all aspects of energy facility operations and project implementation, from large electric utility generating units to renewable energy and combined heat and power (CHP) installations. Michael proved instrumental in the implementation of Saint Paul’s 33-MW biomass-fired combined heat and power facility, development of the renewable fuel market for the CHP plant, and integration of this facility into the local energy delivery system.
Through his supervision of integrations, formation of the onsite teams, and ongoing client relations, Michael applies the company’s expertise and practical solutions to each of Ever-Green’s operations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Under his management, these operations have achieved best-in-class reliability and follow an array of industry-leading best-practices.
When asked to sum up his career in 5 words, he says: Builds and enables high-performing teams.
Michael has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Pam Sarne
Senior Vice President, Accounting
Pam Sarne
Senior Vice President, Accounting
Pam Sarne joined Ever-Green Energy in 2010, and has made her strengths in the development and implementation of accounting policies, and processes and controls an asset to our growing organization ever since.
With her trademark proactive leadership style, Pam oversees all accounting activities related to the company’s ventures. An accomplished CPA, her expertise is in development and implementation of accounting policies, processes and controls, and finance. Her experience with financial forecasting, budgeting and planning, software implementation, auditing, and human resources knowledge allow her to effectively collaborate with all levels of management to prepare annual budgets and identify cost-saving opportunities.
She earned BA and MBA degrees from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
Katherine Verhasselt
Senior Vice President, Chief People and Communications Officer
Katherine Verhasselt
Senior Vice President, Chief People and Communications Officer
Katherine Verhasselt joined Ever-Green Energy in 2013 and leads the human resources, marketing, and public relations teams. She uses her background in communications and approachability, alongside decades of experience facilitating essential and sometimes difficult conversations, to work alongside company leaders, translating business strategy and priorities into an integrated internal and external communications program.
Her background in communications and human resources in both the public and private sector allows Katherine to deftly craft and communicate key messages throughout our team. She also supports governance work conducted through our Boards and serves as a key sounding board and advisor to the CEO and other members of senior leadership.
“While each of our core values help me navigate priorities and decisions, People Matter is the value I utilize most in my role,” Katherine explains. “Our people are at the core of what we do, whether they are employees, customers, or stakeholders, ensuring their wellbeing and respect is a priority. A desire to take care of people is what eventually steered me toward an interest in human resources, and my communications background has served me well in communicating internally and externally with clarity and transparency.”
Katherine holds a BS in journalism and advertising from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.
Tom Thomalla
Vice President, Information Systems
Tom Thomalla
Vice President, Information Systems
Tom Thomalla, Jr., CISSP, GICSP, joined Ever-Green Energy in 2010, bringing his expertise in IT, building automation, industrial automation, and information security.
Tom’s detail-attentive and forward-thinking leadership has helped Ever-Green and its affiliate companies develop reliable IT infrastructure, implement software and data systems that improve processes, bridge the gap between IT and operational technology, and prioritize cyber security. As Ever-Green’s enterprises have grown, Tom has ensured during his tenure that in addition to managing three major server infrastructure and core network upgrades over the years, unplanned downtime has not exceeded 99.99%. This has reaped benefits for the organization, but has also significantly reduced the need for off-hours planned and unplanned IT work.
When asked to share the professional achievement he is most proud of, Tom shared that he returned to school in 2008 to complete his Bachelor’s degree as a working adult. “I gained so much more having had working experience, as compared to college after high school.”
He holds a BAS in Information Technology Infrastructure from the University of Minnesota.
Jenae Batt
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Jenae Batt
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Jenae Batt brings her diverse experience in advocacy, patron stewardship, and education to Ever-Green Energy as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations. She joined the company in 2014 and now leads the team responsible for company marketing, communications, community outreach, and customer engagement.
Having worked in higher education as an adjunct professor and a communications professional, she understands the opportunities and complexities of energy system storytelling on campuses. Using her background in direct community services, she develops compelling public engagement and education strategies for the energy systems under management. Jenae collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop sales and marketing strategies consistent with the utility owner’s expectations. She supports energy system advancement by working with clients to develop strategic communications, collaboration opportunities, and energy literacy tools to bolster support for their campus and community energy goals.
Jenae developed Ever-Green’s customer care model, which keeps the customer top-of-mind and serves as a practical and aspirational guide for team members to deliver exceptional service to Ever-Green clients and utility customers.
When asked to share the professional achievement she is most proud of, Jenae cites the positive attention that Ever-Green has garnered through communication, customer care, and energy education philosophies. “These skills go beyond our technical prowess, and I am proud to work for a company that has prioritized them since the beginning,” she explains. “It feels like employment magic to have found such a unique fit to apply my interests and skills.”
She holds a BA in English literature from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a MA in English literature from Boston College.
Steve Rambeck
Vice President, Business Development and Commercial Strategy
Steve Rambeck
VP, Business Development and Commercial Strategy
Since 2018, Steve Rambeck has led efforts to develop growth opportunities and enhance customer care for utilities managed by Ever-Green Energy: District Energy St. Paul, Duluth Energy Systems, CoolCo, and Energy Park Utility Company.
His strong and diverse experience in the energy industry is advantageous when working directly with customers, prospective customers, and key stakeholders on optimizing energy procurement and use.
Steve’s passion for enhancing the value proposition for customers in an efficient and effective manner places customer care at the center of his efforts promoting the mission, vision, and core values of Ever-Green. His data-driven approach has allowed him and his team to capture and harness data, resulting in the development of numerous tools and reports that proactively assist customers in understanding energy use and identifying efficiency opportunities.
In his time at Ever-Green, Steve has grown his team to more proactively reach out to customers with ways to optimize their use of the district systems. The team utilizes data and analytics to identify opportunities and deploys experienced HVAC and engineering resources to assist customers through project implementation.
“Delivering exceptional service by putting our customers first by providing innovative solutions and responsive services that exceed expectations is our team’s goal every day,” Steve shares. “We understand the need to continuously bring value to our customers and elevate our services to remain a valued and trusted partner for their energy needs.”
He holds a BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from North Dakota State University and an MBA in Finance from Hamline University.
Amy Stanton
Director of Environmental Health and Safety
Amy Stanton
Director of Environmental Health and Safety
Amy Stanton possesses a sharp eye for detail and a proactive, forward-thinking work style which she brings to her role as director of Environmental Health and Safety at Ever-Green Energy.
With a diverse background of experiences, Amy has worked in the field of safety and the environment since 2012. Amy leads the EHS team in developing, managing, and implementing safety programs and policies, conducting internal and cross audits to ensure compliance, leading safety training sessions, conducting incident investigations, and working with government agencies and contractors to ensure permit conditions are met.
Amy’s oversight, technical expertise, training, and guidance actively ensures environmental compliance is achieved across multiple company locations with all applicable local, state, and federal regulatory obligations and requirements. Her accuracy has helped many locations achieve best-in-class industry standards.
Amy works with teams across all locations to develop a culture of sustainability and stewardship, and ensures our annual Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting is accurate and transparent to our practices.
When asked which Core Value resonates the most, Amy selected People Matter. “All aspects of what Ever-Green does relates to people,” she explains. “That includes our employees, our customers, and the communities we are surrounded by. Our employees are the foundation of our operation, and without a safe and healthful workforce, we cannot achieve our goals and those of our customers. By prioritizing people, we not only fulfill our obligations to our employees’ families but support our communities and prioritize long-term sustainability.”
She holds a BS in Applied Ecology and Environmental Science from Michigan Technological University.
Chris Peterson
Director of Regional Operations
Chris Peterson
Director of Regional Operations
Chris Peterson manages and directs plant personnel in the operation of heating, cooling, and electric production at several facilities in the Twin Cities.
Chris honed his supervision and knowledge of mechanical operations while serving as a Chief Nuclear Machinists Mate in the US Navy and then in the commercial nuclear industry. Since 2017, he has used this foundation to maintain safe, efficient, reliable, and compliant operations for Ever-Green Energy. He takes a lead on matters relating to staff development and training, budgetary planning and operational expenses, reliability, efficiency, and plant projects.
The core value that resonates the most with Chris is Integrity in All We Do. “Staying true to having strong moral values guides me in my decision making and approach to all matters in my personal and professional life,” he says. “This organization has a lot of trust put into it from our staff, customers, and community. If we stay committed to our values and principles, we can be sure to provide safe, reliable, and efficient operations and never betray that trust.”
He holds an AA in General Studies and a BS in Applied Science & Technology in Technical Studies from Thomas Edison State University, and a MS in Project Management from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Jon Salo
Director of Controls and Operations
Jon Salo
Director of Controls and Operations
Jonathan Salo has worked for Ever-Green Energy since 2005, as a senior maintenance engineer specializing in instrumentation and as the manager of the controls group. As Director of Controls and Operations, Jon employs his extensive and deep knowledge across numerous Ever-Green sites in multiple states.
Jon enhances the use of digital controls and automation to improve the performance of Ever-Green’s facilities. He commands the operation and accuracy of data, control and electrical systems for District Energy St. Paul, Energy Park Utility Company, Duluth Steam, Mount Airy Sub Station, and St. Paul Cogeneration.
He holds an AAS in Business Management from Rasmussen College and a Diploma in Automated Control Technologies from Mesabi Range Community and Technical College.
Tim Heineman
General Manager, Ohio Systems Operations
Tim Heineman
General Manager, Ohio Systems Operations
Tim Heineman provides leadership in energy systems and processes in Ohio. He manages the day-to-day operations, collaborating with other departments to execute Ever-Green Energy’s overall strategy to effectively serve utility system customers.
Tim has served as business developer and plant manager for CoolCo, the district energy–chilled water services in the Central Business District of Cincinnati, Ohio since 2010. His focus has included expanding the chilled water loop with a 10,000-ton capacity between two facilities with a 5-9 reliability rate. This loop serves more than a dozen buildings that host a wide range of uses including commercial office buildings, retail, hotel, museums, institutional facilities, and government buildings in the Cincinnati CBD, cooling nearly 5.5 million square feet.
Tim also serves as the manager for Oberlin College & Conservatory’s 640-acre campus utilities including 1,700 tons of cooling, the central heating plant (steam and hot water) with 7 miles of buried pipe, and three solar arrays consisting of 8,900 panels with a total of 2.2 megawatts of power. The college community includes 45 academic buildings, 26 residential buildings, and numerous rentals.
“The work we are doing at Oberlin College is the project that stands out the most to me,” reflects Tim. “It has been great watching this project come together over the past 5 years, and watch the Ever-Green team work together to tackle every obstacle we faced along the way.”
He holds a BS in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and a CPM from Xavier University.
John Cunningham
General Manager, Illinois Operations
John Cunningham
General Manager, Illinois Operations
John Cunningham joined Ever-Green Energy in 2021. He leads operations, maintenance, and management efforts for the Illinois Institute of Technology’s (IIT) cogeneration steam plant, two chilled water plants, and associated distribution networks.
Prior to Ever-Green, John gained engineering experience in the solar panel production, circuit board manufacturing, and food processing fields.
A strong collaborator and communicator, John serves as a liaison between Ever-Green and the University, working alongside many of Ever-Green’s partners. He plays a key role moving forward as the University embarks on a multi-year campus-wide upgrade of its utilities to a Trigeneration system.
“The crew at the IIT steam plant is second to none. They have shown me the importance of working together and ensuring everyone fits in their roles,” John shares. “It is because of them our system runs as well as it does.”
John holds a BSE in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Noah Fennessy
General Manager, California Operations
Noah Fennessy
General Manager, California Operations
Noah Fennessy joined Ever-Green Energy in 2023, bringing over 20 years of experience leading complex operations and managing multi-million-dollar projects in the Engineering and Natural Resource industries. Since joining Ever-Green Energy, he has been focused on building the team and operational framework for the Sunnyvale Central Utility Plant. With a priority on safety, reliability, and customer service, he is passionate about providing exceptional service while advancing thermal energy systems in California.
Prior to working at Ever-Green, Noah was a Production Manager for the Sepragen Corporation, an Operations Manager for Amazon Logistics, and the US West Design Group Leader at Golder Associates.
“Deliver Exceptional Service is the Core Value that resonates with me the most and has been the guiding principle in my career,” Noah says. “It is great to work for a company that is committed to this in everything we do.”
He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, and an MBA with Strategy and Business Concentration from California State University—East Bay.
Rob Hercreg
General Manager, MRMC Thermal
Rob Hercreg
General Manager, MRMC Thermal
Rob Hercreg joined Ever-Green Energy in 2024, bringing experience in leading manufacturing facilities and expertise in quality, reliability, efficiency, and design-for-results from his time in manufacturing. He manages the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center thermal energy team, leading the way for Ever-Green in plant optimization, using and interpreting KPIs, and leading in highly regulated operational environments.
Rob’s proudest professional achievement was leading Graham Packaging Company’s Racine, Wisconsin plant to the first gold GOS status in the company’s history.
He holds a BS in Economics and Business Administration from Illinois State University.
Sean McFarling
Senior Engineer and CAD Supervisor
Sean McFarling
Senior Engineer and CAD Supervisor
A civil engineer by education and experience, Sean McFarling joined Ever-Green Energy in 2010 to assist District Energy St. Paul through the process of relocating major portions of its hot water and chilled water systems due to a major infrastructure project through downtown Saint Paul.
Since that time, Sean has advanced to the role of Senior Engineer, leading the design and implementation of district energy projects across the country and took on supervisory responsibilities of the Computer Aided Design (CAD) team in 2019. He has over 14 years’ worth of experience in the community energy system planning, engineering design, implementation, project management, construction, and operations. Sean has been instrumental in the renovation of existing systems, implementation of new systems, and continued success and expansion of the existing systems.
Sean combines this experience with knowledge of the planning, design, and construction of municipal systems, bridges, and community development from a traditional civil engineering perspective. He is skilled in project and stakeholder management, effectively leading day-to-day functions and initiatives across multiple sites.
When asked to describe his leadership philosophy, Sean shared he seeks to guide, instruct, support, challenge, and empower. “I want to empower and release people to do the things that they can do with excellence. That starts with guiding and instruction, showing people where the goal is and teaching them how to get there. Then supporting them to learn new responsibilities or skills. Then challenging them to take on those tasks or skills independently with appropriate support. Finally empowering them to make those things their own to do with excellence.”
He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Mini-Masters in Project Management, Specialized Training from the University of St. Thomas.
Board of Directors
Bonnie Holub
Chairperson
Bonnie Holub
Chairperson
Dr. Holub is the founder and CEO of ArcLight, Inc., a small company focusing on data analytics, data visualization, and big data. She also holds the Honeywell Endowed Chair in Global Technology Management in the Graduate Programs in Software, School of Engineering, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, MN. Dr. Holub is founder and former CEO of Adventium Labs/Adventium Enterprises, a non-profit research and development lab, focusing on the development of advanced software applications for complex systems, with a particular emphasis on automated reasoning, human-system interaction, and supporting architectures. Dr. Holub earned her doctorate degree in Computer Science/Artificial Intelligence from the University of Minnesota. She has served as Board Chair for the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and on several community non-profit boards, in addition to her volunteer service at community events.
Heidi Conrad
Board Member
Heidi Conrad
Board Member
Heidi Conrad holds the position of Chief Financial Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health. Conrad has been in her current position since October 2022 and brought over 19 years of senior financial experience in health systems and hospitals. Her prior experience includes her role as Vice President and Chief Financial Partner at Regions Hospital and Vice President, Finance, Planning and Improvement at HealthPartners Medical Group. Along with this, she gained experience at PWC, Children’s Minnesota and Thomson Reuters. Conrad has a BBA in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Hamline University. She is currently serving as Chairperson of District Energy St. Paul’s Board of Directors.
Rao Konidena
Board Member
Rao Konidena
Board Member
Rao Konidena has nearly two decades of experience in manufacturing, consulting, and grid operator environments. Most recently Konidena was with Midcontinent ISO (MISO) as Principal Advisor for Policy Studies working on energy storage and distributed energy resources. Konidena has worked in several roles in core transmission planning areas of resource adequacy, economic planning, business management, and policy functions.
Konidena holds a BS in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Bangalore University, an MSEE in Electrical Engineering from University of Texas at Arlington with a thesis on economic analysis of photovoltaics and fuel cells. Konidena also holds an MBA from Carlson School of Management, with minor in International Business.
Konidena volunteers as engineering mentor for middle school students participating in the Future City Competition, which focuses on improving students’ STEM skills. Konidena is Co-President of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce – Minnesota and on the board of Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA).
Channon Lemon
Board Member
Channon Lemon
Board Member
Channon has been driving innovation, spearheading organizational change, and leading economic development and new business development initiatives for over two decades. An accomplished business executive delivering profitable growth in challenging, competitive, and regulated environments, Channon has a diverse background in numerous industries and functional roles. Channon is a visionary who believes energy innovation is critical to the success of business and a tremendous growth opportunity for companies which can lead the way in deploying next generation energy solutions. She also believes energy innovation will change communities, how they are designed and connected, how multi-use and individual residences are built (or retrofitted) and how each of us live and “power up” on a daily basis.
Channon is the founder of Intent Energy, where she provides advisory executive leadership for new and expanding initiatives and organizations. She served as the Vice President of Economic Development for the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, where she was responsible for charting the strategic vision for the economic vibrancy of businesses in the East Metro with an emphasis on the Central Business District of Saint Paul. Her diverse experience includes work in Chicago, IL, where she served as a consultant leading transformation at a privately held company in the role of Chief Operating Officer. In Dayton, Ohio, Channon served as the Vice President of Enterprise Vendor Management for CareSource, one of the largest Medicaid managed care companies in the country. Also, while in Dayton, Channon developed and launched a regional supply chain initiative which created an agenda focused on helping local business develop strategies for growth and expansion by doing more business “at home.”
Channon has an MBA in marketing from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in insurance from Howard University in Washington, DC.
John Pournoor
Board Member
John Pournoor
Board Member
John Pournoor is the CEO and founder of Government Analytica, a boutique government and public affairs consultancy. Government Analytica is a pioneering convergence of government relations, public affairs, with the new field of “public value analytics.” It serves associations, nonprofits, and both private and public sector clients. John helped build the international government affairs function of 3M in over 30 countries with new processes, tools, and analytics approaches. His portfolio of novel analytics tools fast-tracks client advocacy efforts and policy outcomes creating public value and improving lives. Over his 35-year career, he has applied his expertise and innovations to practical applications in government affairs, public policy, and government relations, contributing to advancing each field in sectors like infrastructure, energy, transportation, and health care. John is a Policy Fellow of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at University of Minnesota. He has been appointed by US Secretary of Commerce to the Minnesota District Export Council. He also represents midwestern US states on the National Association of District Export Councils. John earned his BS, MS/PhD in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and University of Washington, Seattle, and his MBA from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. He holds several patents. John worked for Intel, Chevron, Boeing, and Dupont, before joining 3M. John is a tireless advocate for nonprofits and volunteers for community-based organizations.
Mark Rancone
Board Member
Mark Rancone
Board Member
A Saint Paul resident, Mark Rancone is vice president of Roseville Properties Management Co., where he oversees the management of more than 2 million square feet of mixed-use commercial and industrial real estate. Rancone represented the interests of our district cooling customers on the District Cooling board from 1993 to 2004 before moving to the District Energy board. Rancone sat on the board of Greater St. Paul BOMA for six years, was an original member of the Rice Park Committee and served on the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce’s Light Rail, Business Development and Shepard Road Advisory committees.
Kris Taylor
Board Member
Kris Taylor
Board Member
Kris Taylor serves as the Vice President of Global Community Impact and President of the Ecolab Foundation, with responsibility for the development and execution of the company’s community-based programs. Under her direction, Ecolab has been recognized for its commitment to the community in The Civic 50, led by the National Conference on Citizenship and Points of Light. Taylor was named United Hospital Foundation Trustee of the Year in 2013, as well as receiving a Women in Business Award by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in 2012 and a HERBIE Award by the St. Paul Area of Commerce in 2011. Taylor joined the District Energy board in 2014 as a City of Saint Paul appointee, adding to her current service on the Conference Board, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the United Hospital Foundation, and St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce. She graduated from Southwest State University with a B.S. in Business Administration.
David Ybarra
Board Member
David Ybarra
Board Member
David Ybarra is President of the Minnesota Pipe Trades Association, an umbrella organization representing more than 9000 men and women working in piping related industries throughout Minnesota, where he serves as an advocate for 11 Local Unions. Previous to his current position, Ybarra was Business Manager of the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council, which allowed him the opportunity to work on many successful construction projects, including TCF Bank Stadium, Target Field, and the reconstruction of the 35W Bridge. He was appointed to serve as a commissioner at Target Field in June, 2016, and continues in that capacity. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors at Union Bank and Trust. In his leisure time, Ybarra enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family.
Luke Gaalswyk
Ex Officio
Luke Gaalswyk
Ex Officio
Luke Gaalswyk was named chief executive officer of Ever-Green Energy in January 2024. He joined Ever-Green in 2022 as president of the organization overseeing the company’s corporate services. Luke oversees all aspects of the business at Ever-Green.
Prior to joining Ever-Green, Luke was the Midwest regional general manager at Clearway Community Energy where he was responsible for managing operations, engineering, and business development of Clearway’s district energy systems in Minneapolis and Omaha.. Luke has over 16 years of experience in energy, operations, and engineering and is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and is a drill-status member of the Minnesota Air National Guard. He has a mechanical engineering degree from the United States Air Force Academy and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton.
Ken Smith
Senior Advisor to the Board
Ken Smith
Senior Advisor to the Board
Ken Smith is senior advisor to the board at Ever-Green Energy and president and CEO of its parent company, District Energy St. Paul. Recognized globally for his leadership in community and campus scale energy systems, Ken is actively engaged in industry, policy, and academic forums addressing the transformation of our energy system and is a frequent speaker nationally and internationally.
Prior to joining Ever-Green Energy in 2006, Ken worked globally in the engineering and construction industry for over 20 years, planning, designing and implementing highly reliable energy projects, including central plants, microgrids, datacenters, and other mission critical facilities for advanced tech industry, campuses, international airports, and U.S. Department of Defense.
Ken has served as board chair for the International District Energy Association (IDEA), the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS), and the electric vehicle startup company, Zeus Electric Chassis. He also served on the board of directors for the St. Paul Downtown Alliance and the Corporate Council for Metropolitan State University. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the Science Museum of Minnesota as vice chair, and has been a fellow of the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment since 2016. Since 2012, Ken has participated in the energy policy exchange between Germany and the State of Minnesota and is cofounder of the highly successful Climate Smart Municipalities exchange with Germany. In 2022, Ken was awarded the Norman R. Taylor Award by IDEA for his leadership and lifelong commitment to energy efficiency and sustainable energy solutions.
He has bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from North Dakota State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, MN, and is a registered professional engineer in multiple states.
Board of Directors Emeriti
George Fremder
Director Emeritus
George Fremder
Director Emeritus
George Fremder was declared Director Emeritus of District Energy St. Paul and its affiliate Ever-Green Energy in December 2017. The declaration recognized his 18 years of outstanding dedication and service on the boards of both organizations, including 8 years as board chairperson for District Energy. Fremder brought to the board many years of experience in property management and executive administration as well as a strong interest in green energy solutions to benefit the environment.
Thomas Kingston
Director Emeritus
Thomas Kingston
Director Emeritus
Tom retired from the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in 2010 after 30 years of service, including 20 years as President. Prior to that, he worked directly with youth through teaching at Cretin High School and helping adolescents with chemical dependence problems at New Connection Programs. During his tenure at Wilder, Tom was involved in numerous innovative, public, and private joint ventures in health and human services in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Community. Tom and his wife, Mary, have been married for 34 years and have four adult children. Tom has had a deep concern for the environment his entire life. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves to be in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. He has coupled this love of the environment, his business experience for 30 years, and his love of St Paul to participate in a company that is a national leader on the future of energy. Tom admires the work of Ever-Green Energy and its related companies. He continues his enthusiastic engagement with Ever-Green because of its performance as the best-of-its-kind energy company in the nation.
Robert Lowe
Director Emeritus
Robert Lowe
Director Emeritus
Robert Lowe was declared Director Emeritus of Ever-Green Energy and District Energy St. Paul in February 2014. The declaration recognizes Lowe’s important contributions as a founding member of the Developing Committee that established District Energy St.Paul in 1978 and his long-standing service to both companies. A Saint Paul native, he served on the District Energy Board for 19 years and served as Ever-Green Energy’s Vice-Chair before his passing in 2014. He brought to the board many years of experience in the areas of labor relations, affirmative action, plant and distribution system construction and maintenance, and District Energy St Paul history. Lowe passed away on February 3, 2014.
Barbara Lukermann
Director Emeritus
Barbara Lukermann
Director Emeritus
Barbara Lukermann was declared Director Emerita of District Energy St. Paul and its affiliate Ever-Green Energy in March 2009. The declaration recognized Lukermann’s 27 years of outstanding dedication and service on the boards of both organizations, including six years as board chairperson of District Energy. Her leadership, commitment, and strong belief in our mission helped us achieve many successes that benefited our customers, Saint Paul and the environment, and encouraged us to strive for even higher standards. Barbara passed away March 2009.
Susan Sands
Director Emeritus
Susan Sands
Director Emeritus
Susan Sands was declared Director Emerita of District Energy St. Paul and its affiliate Ever-Green Energy in January 2007. The declaration recognized Sands’ 13 years of dedicated service, leadership and outstanding contributions on the boards of both companies, including five years as District Energy’s chairperson.
John Taylor
Director Emeritus
John Taylor
Director Emeritus
John Taylor was born and raised in Saint Paul and educated at the Cathedral Grade School, Cretin High School, and Saint John’s University. He spent most of his professional career in the downtown Saint Paul area as chief executive of the Hill Family and First Bank System foundations. A veteran of service to more than 100 boards, commissions, foundations, colleges, and cultural organizations, he brings with him a passion for public service, strong organizational planning, creativity, and innovation. Today he is an Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement at his alma mater, Saint John’s University. In 1982, he was invited to join the District Energy board by its Chair, former Mayor George Latimer. He served on the District Energy and District Cooling boards for 18 years, including several years as board chair. John joined the Ever-Green Energy board in 2000 and was elected board chair in 2006.
