Kelly Bjerke Retires

man smiling with field behind him
January 5, 2023

Kelly Bjerke, Technical Manager-Transmission & Distribution, started with Ulteig in the summer of 2000, and Jan. 6, 2023, will be his last day with the company in Fargo. As Kelly moves on to his next chapter full of travelling, hiking and sightseeing around the US, take a look at the questions below to learn a bit more about his career and advice he has for new employees starting out.

What did you do before joining Ulteig?

I spent the first 14 years of my career at The Boeing Company in Seattle, WA. For most of my time at Boeing, I was either a design engineer or test engineer in the Defense & Space Group or the Commercial Airplane Group.

What drew you to Ulteig?

I was looking for a career in a more stable business, at a smaller company, and located closer to family. When I came to Ulteig, I started doing distribution planning studies and distribution rebuild projects. I transitioned to working on more transmission projects and eventually into T&D team management roles. I really liked coming to a consulting firm that was so well respected and established in the electric utility business. I also liked that the company was planning to grow and the opportunities that come along with growth.

What is your most memorable project?

That would be the Seneca to Dunning 34.5kV to 69kV overhead transmission line conversion project for Custer Public Power District.   This was a large (about 38 miles), multifaceted project for a longtime client, with Ulteig providing a lot of different services. It was a high visibility project in an environmentally sensitive part of Nebraska.

Any words of wisdom for new employees just starting out?

  • Start saving for retirement as soon as you can.
  • Learn about leadership and team building, which are not always the focus of an engineering or technical education. There’s a lot of leadership, information and experience at our company that we can learn from.
  • Utilize formal training that’s available to you.
  • Understand that everyone can be a leader in some way no matter what your role.
  • As an employee-owner, take time to understand business metrics and monitor company performance.

 

  • Transmission Engineering & Design, Transmission Planning

WHAT MAKES ULTEIG DIFFERENT?

From global energy producers to locally funded cities and private developers to government agencies, the clients we serve encompass a broad range of relationships and projects. Find out why Ulteig is a leader in the engineering industry.

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