New area manager takes over as Boulder-Xcel relationship evolves

BOULDER — The beginning of November was a big time for Iffie Jennings.

She was beginning a new job, and there was an election underway — one that included a measure that would have an outsized impact on Jennings’ new gig. 

As Jennings was stepping into her new role as Xcel Energy Inc.’s (NYSE: XEL) Boulder area manager, local residents were voting on how they wanted to see the relationship between the power utility and the city move forward. The question put to voters: Should Boulder continue its decade-long dispute with Xcel and keep pressing to launch a city-owned utility in an effort to control its own climate-change destiny? Or should the city re-enter a franchise agreement with Xcel if the utility pledges to support Boulder’s green-energy goals?

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“I started the week of the election … so I was just waiting” to see the result of the ballot measure, Jennings said.

Ultimately, Boulder voters approved the measure to halt the municipalization effort and rejoin a franchise agreement with Xcel.

“When the vote went in a direction that was favorable for our partnership, I was excited,” she said. “I said, ‘OK, let’s forge ahead.’” 

Jennings added: “With this new franchise agreement, we’ll be going out into the community, starting a community advisory board and soliciting members to join. We want to have the community’s perspective and our customers’ perspectives about how they’re impacted by some of the initiatives we’re moving forward in the next few years. This is a new era, a new opportunity to partner with the city of Boulder. I’m excited.”

Boulder Chamber senior director of policy programs Lori Call said the election has provided “an opportunity to take a fresh look at” how Xcel and the city interact “and how we can continue to focus on our energy goals.”

Regarding outreach efforts such as the creation of a community advisory board, Call said, “I think it’s really exciting and a great way to bring the voices of the community and Xcel together to collaborate and figure out what makes sense for Boulder’s energy future.”

Jennings is the right person to step into the area manager role during the early phases of this new era, she said. 

“She is a really thoughtful leader. She values relationships and knows to cultivate them,” Call said. “She knows how to facilitate discussions and make sure lots of voices are heard. I think she’ll be a great voice for Xcel in engaging with the broader business community as we look at the next steps.”

Jennings took over the area manager job, a role that involves serving as Xcel’s customer-facing liaison with the local business community, from Craig Eicher. After more than a decade in his Boulder role, Eicher is now Xcel’s West Denver Metro area manager.

“Craig has laid a great foundation and developed some great partnerships for me to come with,” Jennings said.

Eicher’s help with transitioning and hitting the ground running was especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made introductions to key community stakeholders more challenging, she said. 

“I’m starting a new role, and I’m a mom, so I’m managing remote learning at home and trying to learn a new industry,” Jennings said. “It’s tough, but I’ve got a very supportive environment and team.”

Xcel spokeswoman Michell Aguayo said the company is “really excited to have Iffie on our team. We’re in exciting times, so it’s going to be interesting in seeing where we go from here.”

Jennings, who has an undergraduate degree from Colorado State University and an MBA from Regis University, is coming to the utilities industry from health care, but her new job is not completely unfamiliar.

“I worked for a health-care company where I focused on public health strategies,” she said. “One of my main roles was externally facing and building partnerships with employer groups. So, this role [with Xcel], I felt was a good transition for me.”

Jennings and Call actually worked closely several years ago when both were employed by Kaiser Permanente.

“I’ve had a longer relationship with her and know the great work that she did there,” Call said. “I know she’ll bring that great work to Xcel as it evolves its role in Boulder under the new franchise agreement.”

In addition to her job with Xcel, Jennings, a mother of three boys, runs her own small business: The Kindness Network, an organization that sells apparel featuring messages of positivity. 

“It’s really my passion project that looks at ways we can spread kindness during this difficult time.”