Greg Drent—General Manager
Greg Drent joined Shakopee Public Utilities as Electric Superintendent in July 2016 and was appointed Interim General Manager to lead the utilities in 2020. In June 2021, Greg officially became General Manager. Greg came to SPU with twenty years of utility experience. He was previously employed with the City of LeSueur, where he started as an Apprentice Lineman and then moved to Line Foreman before becoming the Electric Director for seven-plus years. In 2015 LeSueur restructured the organization and he was promoted to Public Services Director where he was in charge of the Electric, Water, Wastewater and Street departments. Greg has also served on the board of directors for MMPA (Minnesota Municipal Power Agency). He and his family live in LeSueur.
Click here to contact Greg Drent.
Joseph Adams—Director of Planning and Engineering
Joseph Adams has served the Commission since 1992. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1983 with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering and received his Professional License in 1991. After graduating from college, Mr. Adams worked for the U.S. Navy’s Facilities Engineering Command in the mobile utility facilities generation and distribution program for nine years.
Click here to contact Joe Adams.
Sharon Walsh—Director of Marketing / Key Accounts/Special Projects
Sharon Walsh, a long-time Shakopee resident, joined SPU in April 2015. Her career includes prior senior management and marketing director positions in service industries, including CBRE and BI Worldwide. She has strategic account management and customer relations experience. Sharon obtained her B.S. Business Administration degree from MN State University, Mankato, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Design.
Click here to contact Sharon Walsh.
Kelley Willemssen —Director of Finance and Administrative
Kelley Willemssen moved to Shakopee in 1994 from South Dakota, joined SPU as the Customer Relations Coordinator in October 2016 and moved into finance in July of 2019. Before joining the utility, Kelley held leadership positions at Cargill and TCF Bank. Kelley obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and will be graduating in spring 2022 from St. Marys University with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a focus in Data Analytics.
Click here to contact Kelley Willemssen.
Brad Carlson—Electric Superintendent
Click here to contact Brad Carlson.
Lon R. Schemel—Water Superintendent
Lon R. Schemel joined Shakopee Public Utilities as Water Superintendent on November 1st, 2010. Prior to that, Mr. Schemel worked for the City of Rockford, Illinois as a Water and SCADA System Supervisor for the City of Rockford, Illinois Water Department since 1986 and began his 40+ years in drinking water treatment in 1979. He is currently a member if two groundwater groups, the Southwest Metro Groundwater Work Group and the West Metro Groundwater Work Group. Mr. Schemel holds a Class A Certificate from the Minnesota Department of Health for water operations.
Click here to contact Lon Schemel.
