J. Christopher Colwell

As group president of global utility, Chris sets strategy for all of utility to increase the group’s performance and profitability. Chris joined Valmont in 2011 and was soon tapped to serve as vice president and general manager for North American utility, where he led that division before his promotion to group president in 2019.

Before joining Valmont, Chris spent two decades in the irrigation industry. He began his career at L.R. Nelson Corporation, then moved to Robert Bosch Tool Corporations. For many years, he led sales, marketing, engineering and operations at Robert Bosch Tool, where he and his teams developed, manufactured and delivered innovative products around the world. He also gained experience in joint ventures and M&A during this time. Chris received his BS in international business from Bradley University, as well as an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.