Fort Collins and Estes Park Mayors to Guide Regional Energy Transition
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) has appointed Fort Collins Mayor Jeni Arndt as its new board chair and Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall as vice chair. Their leadership begins at a pivotal time as PRPA advances its commitment to a 100% noncarbon energy future for Northern Colorado.
Arndt, who previously served as vice chair, brings years of public service experience to the role. She has been the mayor of Fort Collins since 2021 and served in the Colorado House of Representatives for six years before that.
“I’m honored to lead Platte River’s board during this critical time,” Arndt said. “We are committed to working together across all owner communities to ensure clean, reliable energy for the families and businesses who depend on us.”
Hall, elected as Estes Park mayor in 2024, has a background in healthcare leadership, having served as Chief Information Officer at Estes Park Health before retiring in 2023.
“It’s exciting to help shape the energy future of Northern Colorado,” Hall said. “Platte River’s board and staff will continue working on behalf of all four owner communities as we move toward a more sustainable power grid.”
A Transition in Leadership
Arndt and Hall were elected by PRPA’s eight-person board of directors, replacing outgoing chair Kevin Gertig, who recently retired as Loveland Water and Power Director after a 49-year career in public service. Taking Gertig’s place on the board is Sharon Israel, who steps into the role of Loveland’s utilities director.
PRPA General Manager and CEO Jason Frisbie praised the leadership transition, emphasizing the organization’s ongoing commitment to innovation, resilience, and collaboration.
“Jeni is a tireless advocate for public power, and Gary brings fresh insight to our energy transition efforts,” Frisbie said. “We are excited to welcome Sharon Israel to the board as we continue making progress toward our clean energy goals.”
Looking Ahead: Northern Colorado’s Energy Future
The leadership changes were announced during PRPA’s first board meeting of 2025, which also included a year-in-review presentation highlighting the organization’s operational, financial, and strategic successes.
PRPA, a not-for-profit, community-owned public power utility, supplies electricity to Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, and Estes Park. The utility has been working toward a carbon-free energy portfolio since adopting its Resource Diversification Policy in 2018.
For more details on Platte River Power Authority’s energy initiatives, visit prpa.org.