FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 23, 2023
CONTACT: Kerry Koonce
515-362-7699
Kerry.Koonce@cipco.net
Des Moines, Ia. – Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) announced today that its board of directors has named Andrew St. John as the cooperative’s next Executive Vice President & CEO. St. John will begin his tenure on June 5th following the retirement of Bill Cherrier.
“The Board of Directors is pleased to promote Andrew St. John as the new Executive Vice President & CEO, said CIPCO Board President Paul Heineman. Over the past seven years, Andrew has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic planning abilities as Vice President & CFO. We’re pleased to have the opportunity to promote a cooperative leader familiar with CIPCO’s Member-owners, power supply portfolio, and our strategic partners. We look forward to what he brings to the future of CIPCO.”
“I’m honored the CIPCO Board of Directors has chosen me to lead the cooperative into the future, stated Andrew St. John. Our Member-owners and the 300,000+ Iowans they serve depend on CIPCO to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective power. That is a responsibility I will never take lightly. I look forward to working with the Board, Member-owners, staff, and industry partners to deliver a diverse energy portfolio to manage risk, maintain competitive wholesale rates, and provide continued flexibility into the future.”
“The Board would also like to thank Bill Cherrier for his strategic leadership for the board, staff, and the Member-owned rural electric cooperatives that make-up CIPCO,” said Heineman. Cherrier joined CIPCO in October 2017, bringing 35 years of experience in the utility industry with him.
Andrew St. John joined CIPCO in 2016. As Vice President & CFO, he was responsible for overseeing the accounting and finance operations of CIPCO, financial risk mitigation, wholesale rate design, and investment strategy. In addition, Andrew played an influential role on the team responsible for executing CIPCO’s most recent strategic plan that led to a modernized wholesale power contract with CIPCO’s Member-owners, managed through the early retirement of Duane Arnold Energy Center, and brought 157 MW of new wind, 106 MW of solar, and 55 MW of dispatchable natural gas capacity into the CIPCO resource portfolio.
Prior to joining CIPCO, St. John oversaw financial reporting at Businessolver, Inc. and served power & utilities clients within Deloitte & Touche, LLP’s audit practice. Andrew is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting. He is an Iowa-licensed CPA. He has been active in the Des Moines business community and has been involved in local civic organizations including Junior Achievement of Central Iowa. He was a member of the Leadership Iowa Class of 2022-2023 and has served as a Director of the National Renewables Cooperative Organization. Andrew and his wife, Natalie, are residents of Polk City, Iowa along with their daughter Charlotte.
About Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) - CIPCO is a generation and transmission electric cooperative owned by member cooperatives and the communities they serve. With a balanced, 24/7 energy portfolio, CIPCO is committed to providing cost-effective, safe, and reliable energy. CIPCO and its 13 members serve over 300,000 Iowans in 58 Iowa counties. CIPCO’s offices are located in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Creston, and Wilton, Iowa. For more information visit www.cipco.net.
