Colorado Springs Utilities announces finalists for CEO
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Tuesday, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) announced its two finalists for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Former CEO, Aram Benyamin stepped down at the end of 2022 after accepting another position out of state.
Both of the finalists to fill the position are current employees of CSU. Lisa Barbato is the current Chief System Planning and Projects Officer and Travas Deal is the current acting CEO and Chief Operations Officer.
“After a national search, we are pleased to advance two current leaders as finalists for the CEO position,” said Wayne Williams, Utilities Board Chair. “Colorado Springs Utilities is a vital community asset, and all residents have a vested interest in its continued success. That’s why we are soliciting community input that will be reviewed along with other criteria to make this important decision.”
CSU said community members can provide their input on the finalists through the online form available on csu.org. Public feedback will be shared with the full Utilities Board about one week prior to the selection of the new CEO. Feedback must be submitted by Feb. 14, 2023, at 5 p.m.
According to CSU, the Utilities Board is expected to select the organization’s next CEO at its Feb. 22, 2023, meeting.
The following information on the two finalists comes from Colorado Springs Utilities.
Lisa Barbato, P.E.
Barbato has served as Colorado Springs Utilities’ Chief System Planning & Projects Officer since March 2022 where she’s responsible for aligning a four-utility service engineering division while leveraging best practices around resource and infrastructure planning, design services and execution of projects.
She joined Colorado Springs Utilities in 1998 as a water and wastewater infrastructure project engineer. In 25 years at the organization, she has held management positions in both the water and energy side of operations. In 2010, she became the Wastewater Resources Recovery Facility Manager. In 2017, she was named the General Manager of the Distribution, Collection and Treatment Department, responsible for the maintenance and operation of the wastewater collection system, the water resource recovery facilities and the maintenance of the water distribution system.
In March 2019, Barbato was named the General Manager of Energy Supply, overseeing generating facilities, fuel acquisition and the Marin Drake Power Plant’s closing process.
Barbato earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Creighton University, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska and holds a Professional Engineering (P.E.) license.
Travas Deal
Deal was appointed acting Chief Executive Office for Colorado Springs Utilities by the Utilities Board on Dec. 1, 2022. He was named Chief Operations Officer in April 2020. He is responsible for the safe and reliable operations of the utility’s four services – electric, natural gas, water and wastewater.
He joined Colorado Springs Utilities in 2017 as Field Services Manager. In 2018 he transitioned to the Energy Services Division, serving in a district manager role then two general manager positions, leading significant process improvements for the utility.
Deal served as a U.S. Marine for a decade before a successful career in transportation – first in rail-based freight transportation and later at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana.
He joined Duke Energy in 2008, working at Gibson Generating Station, the largest coal generating plant in the United States at 3,250 megawatts. During his tenure at Duke, he held various management roles in operations and maintenance, including operations excellence manager.
Deal holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Oakland City University.
