LAWRENCE, Kan.  – July 11, 2023 – Black Hills Energy today announced an exciting new chapter within the company’s Kansas leadership team by recognizing a tenured employee’s retirement, the promotion of a new general manager, and a new vice president tapped to continue the company’s long-term growth.

After more than 40 years of sharing his knowledge and expertise, Kansas General Manager Jerry Watkins announced his retirement date of March 2024, Ward Slocum has been promoted to general manager for Kansas, and Marc Eyre is now the vice president of Arkansas and Kansas.

“I’m proud of spending my entire career in Kansas and look forward to being a mentor to assist Ward and Marc with an effective transition as our next great Kansas leaders,” said retiring Kansas General Manager Jerry Watkins.

“As we mark this leadership transition in Kansas, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to Jerry who will be retiring after 43 years of service,” said Kansas General Manager Ward Slocum. “We are grateful to Jerry for his visionary leadership and passion for service and wish him our very best as he enjoys this next chapter in his life.”

Kansas General Manager Ward Slocum was hired in 2021 and brings more than 30 years of energy experience. Recruited to join the company from a Pennsylvania pipeline operator, Slocum’s exceptional operational knowledge and leadership experience will build on the utility’s customer-centric reputation.

“Ward’s new role as general manager reflects his strong track record of leadership and his commitment to guide our teams as they work safely each day to serve the needs of our customers,” added Watkins. “Ward is an integral part of our team and will continue to drive excellence within every aspect of our business.”

Marc Eyre is now the vice president of operations in Kansas and Arkansas and brings nearly 20 years of gas and electric utility experience, most recently as the vice president of operations for South Dakota.

“Marc’s appointment to vice president of Kansas and Arkansas is a natural progression in his leadership journey at Black Hills Energy and reflective of his deep commitment to our customers, our employees and our communities,” said Marne Jones, Black Hills Energy’s senior vice president of utilities. “In this expanded leadership role, Marc will be responsible for the company’s operational, business, and financial objectives while creating customer-focused solutions that position the company for long-term growth.”

The company’s state operations directors will lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the business, including employee, customer and system safety, capital project execution, and operational excellence. To reflect their broader duties, state operations directors are now titled general manager (GM) for their respective states.

Slocum and Eyre assume leadership for Kansas in a time of momentum. Black Hills Energy in Kansas provides 118,000 customers with safe and reliable natural gas. Serving 67 communities with nearly 150 employees, the Kansas operations team regularly achieves exceptional safety metrics, drives a $57 million economic impact to the state, and leads peer utilities with its Net Zero target and Green Forward service offering.

“These changes position the company with highly skilled, tenured and energized leaders committed to serving the needs of our customers and communities while driving operational efficiencies and growth within our expansive eight-state service territory,” Jones said.