Mark Fritsch was appointed General Manager of the Owatonna Public Utilities (OPU) by the OPU Commission at their August 30, 2011 meeting. Mr. Fritsch will replace current interim General Manager Mike Bruno who will retire on October 31, 2011. Mr. Fritsch will begin his duties on October 3, 2011.
Mr. Fritsch brings a wealth of expertise to OPU having more than 30 years of experience in the utility industry and a record of using his skills and leadership to deliver significant cost savings, operational performance, and business growth.
“We are excited to bring Mark on board as our new general manager,” said OPU Commission President Kim Cosens. “We believe he is a good fit for our utility and brings a skill set that will help guide us successfully for many years.”
Mr. Fritsch was the president and founder of Current Compass Inc., a business consulting company that specialized in consulting services for utilities, public agencies, renewable energy company, and other clients.
From 1979 until 2010 he was employed by Xcel Energy where he held several positions including director of regulatory projects, director of the Allen S. King 600-mega-watt base load coal fired plant, director of the Corporate University, manager of electric maintenance and protection, and superintendent of two power plants which were converted to process refuse derived fuel (RDF).
Mr. Fritsch holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Minnesota. He also has certifications in management and leadership from the Carlson School of Management and the Covey Leadership Center.
“I’m excited to be given the opportunity to lead such a fine organization,” said Mr. Fritsch. “OPU has a great reputation, and I consider it a privilege to work for an organization that has such a strong track record for excellence and quality of work.”