Our CEO
Travas Deal’s distinguished professional and military career spans over three decades, during which he has served in various roles and industries. His career is defined by public service and a commitment to community and country.
Following a national search, Deal was selected as CEO on Feb. 23, 2023. He also served as Chief Operations Officer before his role as CEO.
As CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities – one of the few four-service, municipally-owned utilities in the nation – he is responsible for more than 2,000 employees and the safe and reliable operation of electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater services. Deal is also responsible for those services provided to five key military installations in the service territory.
Deal oversees an extensive utility system that includes power plants, thousands of miles of distribution pipelines and treatment plants. The water system alone stretches over more than ten Colorado counties and features transmountain water delivery pipelines and high mountain reservoirs.
Some of the notable accomplishments under Deal’s leadership include:
- The safe demolition of the Martin Drake Power Plant once located in downtown Colorado Springs.
- Commissioning of new natural gas and renewable electric generation, soon to include the first addition of battery energy storage to the utility’s system.
- Approval of the organization’s five-year financial plan (2025-2029) to support significant system improvements and maintenance to meet regulations, support customer needs, and maintain service reliability.
- Significant upgrades to the Tollefson Water Treatment Plant to increase its efficiency and performance.
- A major project to protect a large 42-inch wastewater main from exposure and damage beneath a section of Monument Creek.
- Receiving the American Public Power Association’s Reliable Public Power Provider Diamond Designation, the most prestigious recognition given under this program.
- The first utility in Colorado to be recognized as StormReady by the National Weather Service, underscoring the utility’s commitment to safety.
- Launching the utility’s Safety Maturity Committee to transform the organization from a safety culture of compliance to a culture of commitment.
- Creating an internal fleet warehouse program to drive efficiencies and provide better service.
Deal joined Colorado Springs Utilities in 2017 as Field Services Manager. In 2018, he transitioned to the Energy Services Division, serving in a district manager role and then two general manager positions, leading significant process improvements for the utility.
Deal served as a United States Marine early in his career as a military police officer and in rail-based freight transportation. He later worked at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Indiana.
He joined Duke Energy in 2008, working at Gibson Generating Station, the largest coal generating plant in the United States at 3,250 megawatts. During his tenure at Duke, he held various management roles in operations and maintenance, including operations excellence manager.
Deal holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Oakland City University.
Leadership team
- Renee Adams - Chief Human Resources Officer
- Lisa Barbato - Chief Systems Planning and Projects Officer
- Renee Congdon - Office of the City Attorney, Utilities Division Chief
- Somer Mese - Chief Operations Officer
- Mike Francolino - Chief Customer & Enterprise Services Officer
- Tristan Gearhart - Chief Planning & Finance Officer