Joe Hoffman will join Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) on March 1 as the Director of Agency and Government Relations & Chief External Affairs Officer. He replaces Chris Schoenherr who is retiring from SMMPA on April 1 after over forty years in the energy industry and seven years with the Agency.
Since 2004, Hoffman has served as City Administrator & Utility General Manager at the City of Preston, Minnesota. In addition to overseeing all city and utility operations, he developed and implemented a multi-year plan to obtain $35 million in state and federal funding to construct a State Veterans Home in the community.
Prior to joining the City of Preston, Hoffman served as Executive Director for the Southeastern Minnesota Development Corporation from 2001-2004.
Hoffman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Winona State University. He has served as a member of the SMMPA Board of Directors since 2012 and as Board President from 2018-2020. Hoffman is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association and SEMCAC Community Action Agency.
“We are delighted to have Joe join our team.” says SMMPA Chief Executive Officer Dave Geschwind. “Joe knows SMMPA, our members, and the utility industry, making him an excellent fit for this position. We look forward to his proven leadership in helping SMMPA and its municipal utility members meet the needs of their customers.” Geschwind also congratulated Chris Schoenherr on his long and successful utility industry career. “We’re fortunate to have had Chris here at SMMPA for the last seven years of his career. He’s made a long-lasting positive impact on the Agency in his relatively short time here.”
