JEFFREY KNIPPEL

Senior Vice President, Power Utility

"Continually put yourself out of your comfort zone because that is where the most meaningful growth happens. Whether you are a project manager or an executive, the moment you stop challenging yourself is the moment you stop evolving, and in this business, we are always looking for the next horizon."

A Twenty-Five Year Journey of Strategic Growth

.Jeff Knippel’s career at Aldridge is defined by a series of intentional inflection points that transformed him from a technical engineer into a strategic executive leader. With 25 years at the company, Jeff began his journey in civil engineering and progressed through the ranks by consistently choosing the most complex challenges. His path has been shaped by a willingness to embrace high-stakes opportunities, such as transitioning from commercial electrical work to lead the expansion of the foundations business and ultimately building the transmission line market from the ground up. Jeff views these moves as vital shifts that allowed him to build upon his technical roots while scaling his leadership to meet the needs of a growing national enterprise.

Leading the Market through Value and Innovation

.As the leader of the Power and Utility group, Jeff has overseen a trajectory of substantial growth, focusing on markets where Aldridge can provide a niche service and distinct value. His leadership philosophy centers on a forward-facing strategy that balances aggressive market expansion with operational excellence. Jeff believes in pursuing work that challenges the team to innovate and improve upon traditional methods. By empowering his vice presidents and execution teams with the authority to lead their own groups, he ensures the organization remains nimble and solution-oriented. Jeff keeps the enterprise aligned with the core pillars of safety and quality, engineering risks out of the process to deliver certainty for hyperscale utility partners nationwide.

A Legacy of Mentorship and Community Advocacy

.At the core of Jeff’s leadership is a deep commitment to the Aldridge core values, believing that long-term success requires a balance of relationship building, innovation, and putting people first. He credits early mentors for setting a tone of personable communication and rigorous work ethic, traits he now fosters in the next generation of project managers and engineers. Jeff’s dedication to supporting others extends beyond the job site through his extensive philanthropic work. As the President of the Youth and Family Counseling Board of Directors in Lake County, he is a passionate advocate for providing mental health care access to the community. When he is not leading strategic initiatives or coaching youth baseball, Jeff enjoys skiing and finding time to relax with a good book.

Education

  • University of Wisconsin-Platteville, B.S. in Civil Engineering

Associations

  • President, Youth and Family Counseling (YFC) Board of Directors

  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Personal Interests

  • Coaching youth travel baseball

  • Visiting his son at Marquette University

  • Reading and relaxing on vacation

  • Skiing and staying active with his family