JoAnn Thompson

Vice President, Asset Management

JoAnn Thompson was named Vice President, Asset Management, in June 2014. She's accountable for the company’s electrical transmission and distribution lines. This includes system protection and engineering, system infrastructure and reliability, transmission and substation design and maintenance, distribution and transmission planning, system operations, land rights and surveying, transmission project development and management, FERC/RTO policy, advanced concepts (system technology), metering and energy measurement, construction services, Geographic Information System, facilities and construction/building services, and central stores warehousing.

JoAnn began her career with Otter Tail Power Company in 1997 as Research Specialist. She joined the System Operations Department in 1999 as Electrical Engineer and transitioned to Tariff Engineer in 2000. JoAnn became Policy and Compliance Advisor in 2006 and in 2009 advanced to Manager, Federal Regulatory Compliance and Policy.

Originally from Underwood, Minnesota, JoAnn earned her Bachelor of Science in electrical and electronics engineering from North Dakota State University and is also a graduate of the University of Idaho’s Utility Executive Course and Smith College's Specialist to Strategist course. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions in numerous industry organizations and is currently on the Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO) Board of Directors and chairs the MRO Board Organizational Group Oversight Committee.

Outside of work JoAnn serves on the North Dakota State University College of Engineering Executive Advisory Board and is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She previously served two terms on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Reliability Issues Steering Committee and three terms on the United Way of Otter Tail and Wadena Counties Board of Directors.