John Thiel, P.E., Tapped as Next General Manager at South Tahoe Public Utility District

South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) has announced John Thiel, P.E., a 26-year veteran with the district, will be replacing the retiring Richard Solbrig as the next general manager. Solbrig, will be retiring in January after almost 15 years with STPUD as the district’s general manager.

“The Board believes that John will be a continuation of the tradition of long-term employees who have transitioned to General Manager as a result of their engineering expertise, the way they treat others, their attention to finances, their understanding and concern for our customers’ opinions, and their ability to create a collaborative and pleasant place to work,” says Board Member Duane Wallace.

Thiel is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer and is known for his engineering design, cost-effectiveness, and creating a culture of collaboration both within the STPUD and with regional partner agencies.  In his previous role as Engineering Manager, Thiel was responsible for a 10 year, $93-million capital improvement program. He has extensive experience with the planning, design, permitting, financing and construction of over 100 projects.

A native of Morton, IL, Thiel’s career includes working as a project engineer from 1988-1990 at Horner-Shifrin in St. Louis, MO and from 1990-1992 as a project engineer and project manager at MHW in Pasadena, CA. He relocated to northern California 1992 in to begin his employment with STPUD where he has advanced to the position of Engineering Department manager.

Thiel earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University. In 2002 he received a Master of Business Administration in Business/Managerial Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno where he received high academic honors from SAE (originally the Society of Automotive Engineers). He has served as a director with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District and been involved with the American Water Works Association’s legislative affairs and asset management.

Thiel expressed his strong desire to be a visible and proactive General Manager. “I am looking forward to working with the Board, our staff, and the community, to build a better and brighter future for not just the District, but also the community of South Lake Tahoe” says Thiel.

Thiel resides in South Lake Tahoe and enjoys the region’s opportunities for outdoor activities including skiing and boating with his 23-year-old son, Andrew, and trail running with his big dog, Leroy.