NorthWestern Energy makes executive, board changes

NorthWestern Energy announced executive and board changes, including the appointment of Brian Bird as president and COO and Crystal Lail as CFO.

Bob Rowe, the current president, will remain as CEO, according to a Feb. 9 news release.

The company also named Jeanne Vold vice president of technology. Vold previously was business technology officer.

The executive leadership changes will be effective Feb. 15, the company said.

As part of the changes, directors Stephen Adik and Julia Johnson will retire from the board and Dana Dykhouse will become nonexecutive chair, following the company's 2021 annual stockholders' meeting.

Dykhouse, who currently is CEO of First PREMIER Bank, will succeed Adik.

"Today's announcement is part of deliberate succession planning that reflects a strong company, building on its successes with its eyes toward the future," Rowe said.

NorthWestern Energy is legally known as NorthWestern Corp.