Colorado Springs Utilities extends offer to hire a new CEO

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs Utilities is closer to having a new CEO. Wednesday, the Colorado Springs Utilities Board announced it approved to "extend of offer of employment" to Travas Deal.

According to the utility company, the board approved the new CEO's salary of $480,000 and terms of employment during an open session Wednesday. Deal will be the fourth Chief Executive Officer following the departure of Aram Benyamin, who announced he was leaving in December 2022.

“The fact that the two finalists were both existing leaders at Springs Utilities speaks to the solid vision and progress we have made as an organization. Both are exceptional professionals, and the decision was difficult,” says Wayne Williams, Utilities Board Chair, in a press release. “Travas Deal brings to the job both successful leadership at Springs Utilities as our Chief Operating Officer and the experience and best practices gleaned from Duke Energy. That knowledge and skill set offer great value to Springs Utilities’ customers. This is a pivotal time for the utilities industry, and we are very fortunate to have a strong and forward-thinking leader in place to guide us into the future.”

Before his new position, Deal was the Chief Operations Officer in April 2022 before serving as Springs Utilities' acting CEO. His background also includes serving as a U.S. Marine and working for Duke Energy.

“I am honored to be selected by the Colorado Springs Utilities Board as CEO of this organization. Serving on the officer team for the past three years has given me great confidence in the vision and direction we are headed, and I look forward to continuing that important work. Going forward, I will continue to focus on safety, employee retention and development, and planning for the future of this fast-changing industry, and I could not imagine a more capable and collaborative team to do that with than the one in place at Springs Utilities. I thank the Board for their confidence and look forward to working together in the best interest of our community.”

Travas Deal

As the final step in the CEO selection process, the formal appointment and swearing-in ceremony of Deal is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 24 at noon,

Details to join the event online are in the agenda.