John Gardner

John Gardner is a highly successful professional in the electric distribution power industry. With over a decade at Xcel Energy, John currently serves as a Senior Project Manager (PMIII) for DER Integration, overseeing large DER projects, leading regulatory interconnection efforts, and managing customer-facing scoping meetings. Previously, as a Senior Engineer and Manager of Distribution Design, he executed interconnection processes, led stakeholder engagement, and managed multi-million-dollar capital design projects, achieving record results during the pandemic. A subject matter expert, John has contributed to regulatory testimonies, served as an EPRI panelist, and developed technical interconnection requirements. A proven leader, he has mentored teams, chaired safety advisory groups, and organized industry conferences, while also contributing to talent recruitment and training. Focused on innovation and collaboration, John drives impactful solutions in the energy sector.