Jan. 31—Acting Colorado Springs Utilities Chief Executive Officer Travas Deal and its Chief System Planning and Projects Officer Lisa Barbato are the two finalists in the running to become the utility's next CEO, the Board of Directors announced Tuesday evening.

The Colorado Springs Utilities board, which is also the Colorado Springs City Council, launched a nationwide search in November for someone to permanently fill the position after former CEO Aram Benyamin retired.

Benyamin left Colorado Springs to work for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Wayne Williams, Springs Utilities board chairman, said in a news release Tuesday they are seeking public input on the selection of the utility's next CEO, who will oversee the operations of its electric, natural gas, water and wastewater services.

"Colorado Springs Utilities is a vital community asset, and all residents have a vested interest in its continued success," he said in part in the release.

Deal has been serving as Colorado Springs Utilities' acting CEO since he was appointed by the board Dec. 1. Before that, he worked as the utility's chief operations officer since April 2020.

Deal got his start with Colorado Springs Utilities when he joined as a field services manager in 2017, the release states. The next year, he began working in the Energy Services division, where he served as a district manager and in two other general manager roles.

Deal served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before working in freight transportation and then at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, according to the release.

In 2008, he joined Duke Energy and worked at Gibson Generating Station, the largest coal-generating plant in the country, the release states. There, he served in various management roles in operations and maintenance, officials said.

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As Colorado Springs Utilities' chief system planning and projects officer since last March, Barbato "(aligns) a four-utility service engineering division while leveraging best practices around resource and infrastructure planning, design services and execution of projects," the release states.

She began working at Colorado Springs Utilities in 1998 as a water and wastewater infrastructure project engineer. During her 25-year tenure, Barbato has held management positions in the utility's water and energy operations.

In 2010, Barbato became the Wastewater Resources Recovery Facility manager, according to the release, before she was named general manager of the Distribution, Collection and Treatment department in 2017. In that capacity, she was responsible for maintaining and operating the wastewater collection system, the water resource recovery facilities and the maintenance of the water distribution system, according to the release.

In March 2019, she started working as the general manager of Energy Supply, where she oversaw generating facilities, fuel acquisition and led the closing process for the Drake Power Plant.

Residents can provide their feedback on the candidates through an online form at csu.org.

The Colorado Springs Utilities Board of Directors will hear resident feedback about one week before it selects the new CEO.

Residents must submit their feedback by 5 p.m. on Feb. 14.

The Springs Utilities board expects to select the utility's next CEO during its Feb. 22 meeting.

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