Al Rudeck has been named President of ALLETE Clean Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ALLETE Inc. (NYSE:ALE). Rudeck will replace Eric Norberg, who is retiring effective July 1, 2016, after 38 years with ALLETE.

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Al Rudeck, President, ALLETE Clean Energy (Photo: ALLETE, Inc.)

Al Rudeck, President, ALLETE Clean Energy (Photo: ALLETE, Inc.)

“Eric leaves behind a legacy of innovation and creative entrepreneurship. Under his leadership, ALLETE Clean Energy has grown in scale, scope and reputation as a trusted partner who can get the deal done with some of the most well-known wind players in the industry. Eric and the ACE team established a 500-megawatt wind portfolio in just five years with operations that span the nation,” said Al Hodnik, ALLETE chairman, president and CEO. “Eric has done a tremendous job of growing ALLETE Clean Energy in the clean energy space, and I have full confidence Al Rudeck will continue that growth with the support of a talented team.”

Rudeck began his career at Minnesota Power, ALLETE’s utility division, in 1996 as a chemical engineer. In 2006, he was promoted to Vice President of Generation and was responsible for Minnesota Power’s thermal and renewable assets in Minnesota and North Dakota, as well as fuel services, production planning and corporate engineering. He has been involved in some of the company’s largest initiatives, including power plant environmental retrofits and the growth of Minnesota Power’s wind portfolio to over 500 megawatts, including the $800 million Bison investment in North Dakota and a $50 million dollar investment at Taconite Ridge in Minnesota.

In 2013 Rudeck was named Minnesota Power’s Vice President of Strategy and Planning, which also included Fuels and Asset Optimization. In that role he was instrumental in the formation and execution of components of the company’s Energy Forward strategy including Bison 4, the Manitoba Hydro-Great Northern vision with a 133-megawatt renewable enhancement, a 10-megawatt solar farm at the Minnesota National Guard base at Camp Ripley, the largest solar farm on a National Guard base in the U.S., and competitive rail agreements.

“Al’s team-based leadership style, strategic integrated thinking, strong industry connections created through the execution of various deals, chairmanship of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies Power Generation committee, and his diverse project management skills make him incredibly well suited to carry on the success of ALLETE Clean Energy,” Hodnik said. “I am fully confident Al is the right leader, along with an experienced and talented team, to take the company to the next level. This as we answer our nation’s call for cleaner energy forms while growing ALLETE.”

“I feel privileged and humbled to join the ACE team who has, in partnership with ALLETE, demonstrated keen abilities ranging from creative and sophisticated deal negotiations to acquisitions and build-own-transfer of large scale energy projects to honing expertise in operating of wind farms,” Rudeck said. “These are exciting and dynamic times in the energy industry as our nation’s energy landscape changes. I look forward to applying my knowledge and experience with the ACE team as we together grow in the non-regulated clean energy arena.”

Norberg said he looks forward to working with Rudeck to ensure a smooth transition.

“Al has extensive experience with various forms of renewable generation and many industry contacts--this will serve him well in his new role as Al and the ACE team continue successful growth, maintain steady operations and capitalize on increasing opportunities in the clean energy markets,” Norberg said.

ALLETE Clean Energy operates a 540MW wind portfolio which includes generation facilities in Minnesota, Iowa, Oregon and Pennsylvania. In 2015, the company built and sold the 107-megawatt Thunder Spirit wind farm near Hettinger, N.D., under a development agreement with Montana-Dakota Utilities, a division of MDU Resources Group (NYSE: MDU). Montana-Dakota acquired the finished project for $200 million and will operate the wind farm for use by its utility.

ACE was established in 2011 to acquire or develop capital projects to create energy solutions by way of wind, solar, biomass, hydro, natural gas, shale resources, clean coal technology and other emerging energy innovations.

ALLETE, Inc. is an energy company headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. In addition to its electric utilities, Minnesota Power and Superior Water, Light and Power of Wisconsin, ALLETE owns ALLETE Clean Energy, based in Duluth, BNI Energy in Center, North Dakota, U.S. Water Services in St. Michael, Minnesota, and has an 8 percent equity interest in the American Transmission Co. More information about ALLETE is available at www.allete.com. ALE-CORP

The statements contained in this release and statements that ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange Commission.