Honoring service, celebrating impact

Three Heartland Energy employees marked career milestones in May

Behind every project, partnership and service provided are dedicated people, each with unique talents. Heartland is celebrating three employees reaching career milestones and recognizing the contributions they have have made during their time with the company.

From managing finances to telling Heartland’s story to keeping daily operations running smoothly, each plays an important role in Heartland’s success.

Mike Malone | 20 years

Chief Financial Officer Mike Malone has spent the past 20 years helping ensure Heartland remains financially sound and well-positioned for the future.

Through thoughtful planning and long-term decision-making, his leadership has helped strengthen the company’s financial foundation while supporting rate stability for customer communities.

He has also played a key role in Heartland’s credit ratings. In recent years, Heartland earned upgraded and affirmed ratings from Fitch and Moody’s. These ratings reflect strong financial metrics, achieved through disciplined budgeting and strategic rate development.

One of the milestones in Mike’s career came in 2018, when Heartland divested of excess resource by selling its share of the Missouri Basin Power Project, namely its 51 MW ownership of Laramie River Station. The move helped better align generation with customer needs and provided a more balanced mix of resources.

Mike’s leadership and long-term financial planning have helped Heartland maintain stable rates for nine years while positioning the organization for continued success in the years ahead.

For the past 20 years, Communications Specialist Danielle Kearin has helped tell Heartland’s story and strengthen connections with customers.

Over the course of her career, the way Heartland communicates with customers has changed dramatically. Early on, updates were primarily delivered through printed newsletters, newspaper ads, and mailed notices. Today, communication spans websites, social media, video, digital newsletters, and online campaigns.

Danielle has helped lead that evolution while keeping the focus on clear, community-centered messaging. Her work helps transform technical topics into easy-to-understand information, keeping customers informed about Heartland programs, projects and issues that matter to their communities.

Through thoughtful storytelling and a talent for making complex topics relatable, Danielle has strengthened the connection between Heartland and the people it serves.

Executive Assistant Katie Hahn is celebrating 10 years with Heartland Energy, marking a decade of helping keep people, projects, and priorities connected.

Working across multiple departments, she supports everything from accounts payable and economic development programs to the day-to-day coordination that keeps the organization running smoothly.

Katie helps keep schedules aligned, facilitates meetings and events, and provides support to both board members and staff. While much of her work happens behind the scenes, she plays an important role in keeping operations organized and on track.

Katie helps ensure priorities stay aligned, details are managed, and everyone has the support they need. Her organization, reliability, and willingness to step in wherever needed make her a key part of Heartland’s daily success.

Heartland Energy thanks Mike, Danielle and Katie for their years of service and the important roles they each play in supporting long-term financial stability, strong communication and reliable operations.