With Ron Brevig’s exit as plant manager at Sherco, Xcel Energy has promoted Michael Mitchell to replace Brevig.

 

Mitchell, a 34+-year employee of Xcel Energy was hired as interim manager Jan. 17 before getting the permanent title less than a week later.

 

Mitchell started with the company as a student engineer intern in October of 1983.  Upon college graduation in 1986, he became an engineer in the electric transmission planning department.  In July 1987, he transferred to the Monticello nuclear plant where I held various positions in engineering, maintenance, training and operations. 

 

It was there that Mitchell first met Brevig and they became life-long friends.

 

“Ron and I are good friends, having known each other since we worked together at the Monticello Nuclear Plant back in the middle 1980s through the early 1990s,” said Mitchell.  “Ron has been a great mentor to me, starting when I worked for Ron as the maintenance manager at Sherco.”

 

In June 2011, Mitchell  transferred to Sherco as the maintenance manager.  In August of 2014, he became the plant director at the Riverside combined cycle plant in northeast Minneapolis and in January 2015, the role of plant director at the High Bridge combined cycle plant was added to his assignment.

 

With the transition, Mitchell hopes to keep things relatively “status quo” since Brevig did such a fine job.

 

 “The business strategy and focus will be very consistent,” Mitchell said in reference to Brevig’s tenure.  “We are well positioned for business continuity at Sherco.”

 

The business practices will remain constant, but Mitchell is eager to institute his own brand of leadership.

 

 “As with any leadership change, there will be differences in style and personality.”

 

“I’m excited, and looking forward to the challenges and changes that are coming,” he said. “I like the Sherco people, culture, and environment. This is a great opportunity to help lead the Sherco team through significant change.”

 

With his three decades of experience with Minnesota’s largest energy company, Mitchell says he has a core value of commitment to safety and a strong focus on environmental and regulatory compliance. 

 

“I believe in quality work, doing the right work, at the right time, with the right people, and doing the work right the first time,” he said.  “I aim to deliver value to our customers and our shareholders.”

 

Mitchell says his leadership qualities are focused on people.  

 

“I have a coaching leadership style, focused on building strong teams and developing people,” he said.  “I believe that through strong teamwork, Xcel Energy and its people, will be successful.”

 

Mitchell says some of his strong points are that he possesses strong communication, critical thinking, and decision making skills.

 

Mitchell will oversee the plant staff of 215 people. With additional supervision to around 50 support people regularly assigned to the site during normal operations, he will also oversee up to several hundred additional contractors and support personnel during overhauls and outages.

 

Mitchell grew up in Robbinsdale and graduated from Robbinsdale High School.  He attended the University of Minnesota, was a walk-on hockey player on the 1981-1982 Golden Gopher hockey team, and graduated with a Bachelor of electrical engineering degree in 1986.

 

 “I coached hockey for many years, from youth age groups through high school varsity,” he said.  “I was a member of the Monticello Community Education advisory board, the Northeast Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce board of directors, and the Mississippi Park Connection board of directors.”

 

Mitchell is married with four adult children, five grandchildren, and a sixth on the way.  His wife and he live in Monticello.