Leadership Team
Duane Highley
Chief Executive Officer
Duane joined Tri-State in 2019 and has 39 years of experience with cooperatives. He previously served as President/CEO for Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC) and Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI). Duane serves as Co-Chair of the Electric Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC), coordinating security efforts between electric utilities and the U.S. Government.
Barry Ingold
Chief Operating Officer
Barry joined Tri-State in January 2004 and has served in numerous engineering and management roles. As COO, he oversees generation, transmission and energy management. In addition to his 24 years of direct industry experience, Barry served for 13 years in the submarine force of the U.S. Navy. He then transitioned to the Navy Reserve, where he served for an additional 13 years and attained the rank of captain prior to retiring from the U.S. Navy. Barry holds a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering and marine transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and an MBA from Arizona State University.
Reg Rudolph
Chief Energy Innovations Officer
Reg joined Tri-State in January 2022 and is responsible for developing and implementing competitive energy services, managing beneficial electrification programs and overseeing member relations. Prior to Tri-State, he served as General Manager of San Isabel Electric Association, Inc. for 13 years and has more than 30 years of experience in the electric cooperative utility industry. Reg has a Master of Business Administration degree from Colorado State University and bachelor’s degrees in business administration and economics from North Dakota State University.
Todd Telesz
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
TO COME
Elda de la Peña
Chief Administrative Officer and CHRO
Elda has served in numerous human resources roles since joining Tri-State in 1997. As CAO/CHRO, she oversees a variety of service functions, including: human resources, people and culture, payroll, training, IT, cyber security, fleet, facilities and records. Elda has a master’s degree in Language and Interpersonal Communication, and is an SHRM Senior Certified Professional and an HRCI certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.
Bob Frankmore
Chief of Staff
Bob joined Tri-State in 2014, serving first as Vice President, Strategy before becoming Chief of Staff in June 2022. As Chief of Staff, Bob works closely with the CEO and oversees Government Relations and External Affairs, Communications, and Strategy. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President at Hill & Knowlton Strategies. Bob has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry and more than 25 years of experience in governmental relations, communications and public affairs. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Colorado State University.
Jay Sturhahn
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Jay joined Tri-State in October 2022. Prior to Tri-State, he was an equity member of Sherman & Howard, LLC in Denver, where he counseled and represented clients in matters involving corporate governance, internal investigations, contractual disputes, construction law and matters related to FERC and PUC regulation. He has more than 20 years of legal experience, and began his legal career as a clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit. Jay has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Yale University, and a Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. He is the incoming chair (2023-2025) of the Colorado Legal Aid Foundation.