Chris Mattila – American Transmission Co.

American Transmission Co., or ATC, entered its third decade with a reputation for reliability and steady execution, but by 2023, the leadership team recognized that the pace and complexity of the energy transition demanded something different. Data centers, large regional projects, aging infrastructure, and new regulatory pressures were converging at once. It was in that moment of self-assessment that Chris Mattila stepped into the role of director of construction project management, bringing more than two decades of experience across utilities, portfolio oversight, and organizational transformation.

Mattila’s career path had been shaped by steady progression in the energy sector. After early roles outside the energy sector, he returned to utilities in 2001 with Minnesota Power. What began in internal audit and capital review quickly evolved into construction leadership, including an oversight role of a wind farm development in North Dakota. Over the next several years, Mattila moved into program and portfolio leadership roles, ultimately managing the project management office and building deep expertise in capital execution and governance. By the time ATC approached him in 2023, he was looking for an organization ready to modernize.

ATC, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, owns and operates the electric transmission system across large portions of the Upper Midwest. Unlike vertically integrated utilities, ATC focuses exclusively on transmission, maintaining and expanding the high-voltage network that supports regional reliability and economic growth. For much of its history, the company experienced steady, predictable expansion. That model began to strain as annual capital plans climbed toward $880 million in 2025 and are projected to exceed $1 billion in 2026.

The decision to rethink the playbook

When Mattila joined ATC in April 2023, he inherited a project management organization that was functional but stretched. Processes were solid, yet inefficient. Teams were capable but resourced for a different scale of work. The company had been designed to manage capital programs closer to $200 million annually, not the rapidly expanding pipeline ahead.

“We’re changing everything we’re doing, going for efficiency where we can, bringing in new tools and processes to move the ball,” Mattila says.

Rather than impose changes from the top, Mattila spent much of his first six months on the road, visiting regional offices, meeting with operational and field-facing teams, and listening for strengths and shortcomings. His message was consistent. Change was coming, and it would be rooted in respect for employees and accountability to customers.

The first major step was restructuring mid-level leadership. Mattila evaluated existing managers, filled open roles, and promoted internal candidates into leadership positions. These leaders brought different strengths and perspectives, helping stabilize the organization during the early stages of change.

From there, the focus shifted to process modernization. Many workflows had not been meaningfully updated in nearly a decade. Governance meetings were lengthy, and resource allocation models were outdated. Mattila and his team streamlined approvals, shortened meetings, clarified decision authority, and centralized certain scopes of work to improve consistency and speed.

“We looked at our old process. It moved consistently for the capital plan. It was predictable. But the environment changed,” he explains.

Building agility into the organization

As the changes took hold, ATC began to see tangible results. Capital output increased by more than 36% in 2024 and another 56% in 2025 without proportional headcount growth. Teams were completing more work per person and responding faster to shifting priorities.

This agility proved critical as new demands emerged, including data center interconnections, regional transmission expansions, and large-scale asset renewal programs. Mattila treated the transformation as iterative rather than finite, encouraging continuous improvement across tools, governance, and execution methods.

“We haven’t measured the difference formally, but we know we’re achieving more per person in our capital plan than we thought we would,” Mattila says.

Training and professional development became central to sustaining that momentum. Mattila expanded internal training programs, introduced leadership development pathways, and emphasized technical upskilling for project managers navigating increasingly complex builds. At the same time, consistent communication helped maintain trust during periods of rapid change. Employee engagement scores improved, and ATC continued to earn recognition as one of Wisconsin’s best places to work.

“The eureka moment is realizing we’re all moving in the right direction,” he notes.

Developing the next generation of leaders

For Mattila, long-term success depends on building leadership capacity. He currently oversees a management team of experienced leaders with the potential to advance into executive roles. His focus is on preparing them for those opportunities while creating a pipeline of future leaders among staff project managers.

“The balancing act between leadership and development is hard, but it’s necessary,” Mattila says. “My charge is to develop those leaders to be more capable of taking on more roles in the company.”

He meets regularly with managers to discuss development goals, identify training needs, and support participation in advanced leadership programs. For individual project managers, he emphasizes mentorship, exposure to larger projects, and cross-functional experience. Work-life balance and career planning are part of those conversations, reflecting his belief that sustainable performance depends on sustainable workloads.

Life beyond the job site

Outside of work, Mattila maintains strong ties to northern Minnesota, where his family has a home in Duluth, and his children live. He travels there several times each month and participates in sporting clay tournaments and leagues when his schedule allows.

Looking ahead, his professional ambitions are straightforward. He would welcome the opportunity to advance to the next level before retirement, but his primary motivation is to ensure that ATC is stronger, more agile, and better prepared than when he arrived. With capital investment accelerating and the energy landscape continuing to evolve, he views the coming years as critical for solidifying the progress already underway.

ATC’s 2023 decision to assess its own readiness was not easy. It required acknowledging inefficiencies, embracing change, and investing in people and systems. Under Mattila’s leadership, that decision has translated into measurable gains, renewed momentum, and a clearer operational roadmap. As the company approaches its 25th anniversary, it is no longer simply maintaining the grid it inherited. It is actively building the infrastructure and organizational capacity needed to support the region’s future.

For Mattila, that outcome represents the real measure of success. The work continues, but the foundation is now in place. With a stronger team, modernized processes, and a culture that values both performance and people, ATC is positioned to meet the next phase of growth with confidence and purpose.