December 9, 2021

ECI is pleased to announce the election of three new members to ECI’s Board of Directors. At our annual meeting in September, shareholders voted to immediately seat Michael Heikens and Tony Siebert; Bart Tschacher was selected to assume a seat in February of 2022.

Take a moment to learn more about our newest board members’ experience and goals for ECI’s future!

Mr. Mike Heikens, P.E. is a graduate of Montana State University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. Mike joined ECI as a Design Engineer in the Billings Transmission Department in 2007. Transferring to our Madison, WI office in 2016 as Engineering Manager, Mike has since risen to the role of General Manager of the Madison office, directing a team of 75 engineers, technicians and support personnel. Over the past 14 years, Mike has demonstrated a strong drive and passion for business development, providing program management leadership on several key client programs, including EDF, NextEra, and Savion. In addition to General Manager duties, Mike was promoted in April of 2021 to Director of Transmission Engineering, where he is establishing guidelines for transmission engineering projects companywide, as well as planning company goals for growth in T&D services to a larger customer base.

The nature of utility work is changing – and ECI’s services are changing with it. “One of my goals as a board member is ensuring our leadership has the vision and resources to navigate the changing utility environment,” said Mike. “The continued penetration of renewable energy, retirement of thermal generation, and the electrification of the transportation sector present considerable opportunities and challenges for our company.”

Continuing to produce high-quality work for our clients starts with all of us: cultivating a supported, well trained staff brings our clients the highest-quality work. “A continued and strong commitment to both our employee-owners and our clients are key to our long-term success. We need to continue supporting company innovation and staff development, while providing our clients with industry-leading professional services,” said Mike.

Mr. Tony Siebert is a graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, initially employed with ABB for 14 years. At ABB, Tony managed design and technology applications for high voltage power electronics and substation design, including responsibility for all STATCOM, FACTS, energy storage, PV and other high technology applications. He then joined American Superconductor Company (AMSC) as Managing Director of Grid Sales, and later on rose to the position of Vice President of Product Management for battery energy grid storage applications throughout North America. Since joining ECI in 2016, Tony has been instrumental in establishing ECI’s footprint on the Eastern Seaboard. Tony directs business and engineering operations throughout the Northeast from the Cranford, NJ office. He is also responsible for the oversight of ECI’s new branch office established in Reading, PA in March of 2021.

Tony also recognizes industry changes as a chance for substantial growth at ECI. “From the start, ECI has maintained a solid relationship with utilities,” Tony said. “Now, we’ve expanded our utility work coast to coast. Further expansion into the wind and solar markets, e-p-c builds, and, most recently, the battery energy storage market, demonstrates that ECI will continue to find the next great opportunity to support our customers.”

While new markets present ECI and EPCS with new growth, the key to our continued overall success lies in our company’s core: personal, dedicated client service. “Customer focus and new markets are two key areas that have built up ECI/EPCS and will continue to make us successful going forward,” said Tony. “All employees have the ability to contribute to meeting and exceeding our customer expectations.”

Mr. Bart Tschacher, P.E., is a graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1997. He worked as an electrical engineer in the aerospace industry before joining the staff of ECI as a Design Engineer in the Billings, MT office in 2000. Bart has advanced at ECI as a Project Engineer, Project Manager, Substation Group Manager and is currently the General Manager of the Billings, MT office. As GM, he provides general management and oversight to over 120 employees. In addition to his duties as General Manager, Bart serves as Program Manager to one of ECI’s largest and most prominent clients, American Electric Power. Bart’s technical areas of expertise include all aspects of substation and switching station design, wiring, instrumentation and battery power systems.

ECI has strong roots in the power field – and our experience will propel us into the future. “We have built a great organization with an enviable reputation within the power delivery industry,” said Bart. “As a member of ECI’s Board of Directors, my fundamental goal is to provide guidance and direction in support of our company as we navigate the current and future challenges we face as an organization.”

“Ultimately, ECI/EPCS will continue to be a strong, profitable company in the future through continued adjustment to the industry demands while maintaining a firm grip on the values for which the company is known: quality, technical ability, responsiveness, and care of service. I believe an emphasis on leadership development, technical training, and propagating our company culture is key to our continued success,” said Bart.

Mike, Tony, and Bart, congratulations on your newest positions on ECI’s Board of Directors!