DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guzman Energy, a wholesale power provider for U.S. communities, announced today the appointment of John Foster as Executive Chairman and interim Chief of Power Generation Portfolio and Michael Ott as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately.
Executive Chairman
Foster is an experienced senior leader and advisor in the independent power sector, bringing decades of experience to the executive chairman position at Guzman Energy, and interim chief of power generation portfolio. Among his achievements and leadership assignments, Foster led the merger of Southwest Generation with Novatus in 2021 that resulted in the formation of Onward Energy, a 6GW renewable and natural gas company under the umbrella of J.P. Morgan Asset Management and where he served as executive chairman. Prior to that, Foster served as the CEO of Southwest Generation starting in 2014 where he built a 2GW portfolio of gas generation assets designed to support a reliable renewable energy transition.
“John is a seasoned executive that brings extensive dispatchable generation experience to the Guzman team. This is especially valuable as we experience tremendous growth and American communities are seeking ways to smooth the energy transition,” said Guzman Energy Co-founder and CEO Christopher A. Miller.
In his role as executive chairman, Foster will work with the executive team and board to capitalize on the growth and success the company has achieved. Integral to this will be applying Foster’s extensive development and finance experience to enhance the Guzman Energy power generation portfolio and to grow the Guzman team.
“Guzman Energy has a powerful, important and much-needed mission in guiding communities trying to navigate the energy transition,” said Guzman Energy Executive Chairman John Foster. “This is an organization unafraid of bold ideas. We’re scaling the company as well as our capabilities to have a major impact on the next generation power grid.”
Foster received his bachelor’s degree from Carleton College and a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School.
CFO
Ott brings extensive infrastructure and finance experience to the CFO role at Guzman Energy, previously serving as a senior investor on BlackRock’s Climate Infrastructure private equity team. At BlackRock, Ott was responsible for originating new transactions, managing the firm’s portfolio of existing investments in the Americas and raising capital. During Ott’s nine-year tenure at BlackRock, his team grew assets under management from $2 billion to over $11 billion. He also co-launched the firm’s infrastructure investing initiative in Japan.
“We’re thrilled to have Mike join the Guzman team, putting his energy finance expertise to work as we help an ever-growing list of U.S. communities that are seeking reliable, better and cleaner wholesale power solutions,” said Christopher A. Miller, Guzman Energy Co-founder and CEO.
Prior to BlackRock, Ott spent three years at EDF Renewables North America in project finance and M&A roles. He has previously served on the boards of Distributed Solar Development and National Renewable Solutions.
“I’m honored to be joining Guzman Energy during this exciting time for the organization and the renewables sector,” said Ott. “As America’s communities navigate the energy transition, bold thinking and creative solutions will be needed for the power grids of tomorrow. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and working to make sure that Guzman plays a big part in this future.”
Originally hailing from Oakton, Virginia, Ott received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, and a Masters in Sustainable Energy Systems and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Foster and Ott are based in the Guzman Energy headquarters in Denver, CO.
About Guzman Energy
Guzman Energy is a wholesale power provider dedicated to communities in search of affordable and reliable energy. We partner with cooperatives, municipalities, companies and tribes across North America to customize energy portfolios that make economic and environmental sense for today and tomorrow. Visit www.GuzmanEnergy.com.
