NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy announced that its board of directors recently elected Kent T. Larson as a director to a term commencing immediately. Larson brings extensive utility operations and executive experience to the independent board. Larson has over 38 years of experience in the utility industry with Xcel Energy, retiring in 2020 as its executive vice president and group president.

He directed overall operations for Xcel Energy, including overseeing $45 billion of assets and 8,000 employees, as well as providing strategic direction and leadership to the company's generation, transmission, distribution, gas, energy trading and supply chain businesses. Along with Larson's experience with Xcel Energy, he currently serves on the board of directors of Adolfson & Peterson Construction Company, a construction company, Quanta Services West, a utility construction company and subsidiary of Quanta Services, and Regions Hospital, a hospital based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and providing specialty care across the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin.

The addition of Larson will increase the NorthWestern Energy board to nine members. Only one board member, CEO Bob Rowe, is an employee of the company, with the others representing a broad range of experience across the utility industry.