Allete recognized for commitment to women in leadership roles

Allete has been named an Honor Roll Company of Special Distinction in the 2024 Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership.

The annual research report produced by St. Catherine University’s School of Business examines the representation of women on boards of directors and as executive officers in Minnesota’s largest publicly held companies.

It is the sixth consecutive year Allete has been recognized as a Company of Special Distinction and the eighth consecutive year the company has been on the Honor Roll.

Bethany Owen, Allete chair, president and CEO, said the company is honored by the recognition and noted that women have served in senior leadership positions and on Allete's board of directors for decades.

“Allete’s talented people are the reason for our success and that’s as true today as it was more than 100 years ago. There’s no doubt that our commitment to including diverse voices and experiences in the decision-making process at all levels makes us stronger,” Owen said. “I am proud that Allete has gender parity on our Board of Directors and our executive team, but it’s not just about numbers and percentages. It’s about living our values, creating and strengthening a culture that is equitable and inclusive, lifting up others, and reflecting the communities we serve as we advance our Sustainability-in-Action strategy.”

For 2024, Allete was among six companies to qualify for Special Distinction status. Special Distinction is awarded to companies with gender parity on their boards, among executive officers, or both. Five of 10 Allete board members are women. Women make up 50% of Allete's executive team.

For the 73 companies included in the 2024 census, the average percentage of women on boards of directors was 30.4% and the average percentage of women executive officers was 23.1%. Honor Roll status is awarded to companies that exceed those averages in either or both categories. Nineteen companies, including Allete, qualified for Honor Roll status.

Allete and other Honor Roll companies were recognized April 15 at an event at the Saint Paul RiverCentre hosted by Twin Cities Business, which published St. Catherine’s research report in its April/May 2025 issue. Jennifer Cady, vice president Minnesota Power regulatory legislative affairs, accepted the award on behalf of Allete.

Allete is an energy company headquartered in Duluth.