Xcel Energy announces staff changes
Brooke Trammell named regional VP for regulatory in Xcel Energy’s Texas-New Mexico service area
Brooke Trammell, who has served as regional vice president for Rates and Regulatory Affairs for Xcel Energy’s Colorado jurisdiction since 2018, has accepted the position of regional vice president for Regulatory and Pricing for the Texas and New Mexico system, succeeding Bill Grant who is retiring June 1.
Trammell has been with Xcel Energy for almost a decade, starting in Amarillo as a regulatory case specialist in September 2012 before taking the role of rate case manager in 2014. She left regulatory in 2016 when she was named director for Customer and Community Relations in Texas and New Mexico.
Trammell is experienced with the Texas and New Mexico regulatory environment, and during her time leading the Texas-New Mexico community relations team she became well acquainted with community leaders across the Southwest region.
Trammell's office will be in the 790 Buchanan regional headquarters building in Amarillo. “Bill is ending an outstanding 40-year career ensuring the best outcomes for Xcel Energy and our stakeholders as we’ve worked together to expand the capabilities of the Texas-New Mexico grid,” said David Hudson, president, Xcel Energy – New Mexico, Texas. “He leaves a legacy of excellence and respect for people that is unmatched in the business, and we wish him all the best.”
Justin Smiley heading Xcel Energy’s Texas-New Mexico Business Customer Relations group
Justin Smiley, who has served as a senior manager in Xcel Energy’s Substation Operations and Maintenance group for Texas and New Mexico since 2015, has taken the position of director of Business Customer Relations as of May 2 upon the retirement of Bryan Kauffman.
Smiley is overseeing a group of account representatives who serve as primary liaisons between the company and its large industrial customers in Texas and New Mexico.
“I am confident Justin can build on the great efforts of Bryan Kauffman, whose leadership and relationship building have been key factors in sustaining the phenomenal growth of our large customer segment,” said David Hudson, president, Xcel Energy – New Mexico, Texas.
Smiley is a native of Amarillo and attended Amarillo College before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University in 2003. He holds a professional engineering license with the state of Texas. He joined Xcel Energy in 2001 as an engineering intern in Amarillo and worked within the Distribution organization until 2010 before joining Transmission as a substation field engineer.
Smiley succeeds Bryan Kauffman, who retired May 2 after 38-years of service to Xcel Energy and its predecessor company, Southwestern Public Service Company. Kauffman started with Southwestern Public Service Company in 1984 as a distribution engineer. In 1989 he became a supervising engineer in Pampa and was named a local manager for Dumas and Sunray in 1994. Kauffman moved back to Amarillo in 1997 to take a position as key account executive in Business Customer Relations. Between 2004 and 2008 he was a case specialist in Rates and Regulatory Affairs. In 2008 he took the position of senior consultant for the Transmission Policy and Compliance group in Xcel Energy’s Transmission organization.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Xcel Energy announces staff changes
