Renewable Fuels Action Summit Biographies

Rod Scheel

Rod Scheel joined Otter Tail Power Company in 1973 as an Engineer in the System Protection Department. He was promoted to Supervisor, System Engineering in 1978, to Director Information Services, in 1984, and to Vice President, Electrical in 1995. He named to his present position of Vice President, Asset Management in 2002.

Scheel is a native of West Fargo, North Dakota, where he graduated from high school in 1967. He earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical and electronic engineering from North Dakota State University in 1971. He earned his master of science degree in power engineering in 1973 from South Dakota State University.

Scheel is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and is past chairman of Red River Valley Section IEEE. He is a past president of the Height of Land Chapter of the Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers, a Certified Computing Professional (CCP), and a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the three states Otter Tail Power Company serves (Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota). He is a member of Tau Beta Pi (engineering honorary fraternity) and Eta Kapp Nu (electrical engineering honorary fraternity).

In his community Scheel is a member and past president of Sunrise Rotary and a member of the Boy Scouts Northern Lights Council Executive Board where he recently served as President. He's been involved in the countywide United Way, serving as board president in 1984 and as campaign chairperson in 1991. He currently serves on the Hillcrest Lutheran Academy Board of Directors. He's active in his church, Calvary Free Lutheran.

Scheel enjoys amateur radio, hunting, cross-country skiing, cars (with his son), water sports, and flying in his spare time. He and his wife, Jo, live in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Rod and Jo's joy in life are their three daughters, Lindsey, Courtney (husband Luke Draxten), and Abby (following Abby's sports at Concordia College), and their son Jesse(23 and very available).