Mike McConnell

About Mike McConnell

Operations executive and business strategist who maximizes global asset value, transforms cultures, optimizes processes, and wins team loyalty in union and non-union environments. Promoted from technician to Vice President in just 16 years. Change agent who improves performance through enterprise-scale transformations and plant-level turnarounds. Hands-on technical experience and strategic leadership experience to engage hourly workers, executive team, and board.Expert in global opportunity identification, asset growth, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, cost control, process improvement, leadership development, and compliant gas, coal, and wind power generation plant operations.Servant leader with uncompromising integrity, skilled at conflict resolution, consensus building, and union negotiations. Turns challenged teams into high performers. Strong focus on 100% compliance in highly regulated industries. USAF Veteran.Highlighted Career Achievements:• Promoted from entry-level power plant technician to Vice President of Operations for $4.5B corporation in just 16 years, with record of consistent top-10% performance in global operations.• Hand-picked by Chief Executive Officer to lead enterprise-wide optimization initiative, and selected by McKinsey team as best senior-level partner for successful effort, winning rare praise from consulting team.• Led major operations and culture transformations at 2 culturally challenged power plants, leading teams to achieve 83.6%\"in-market\" availability, 98% startup reliability, and 6.8% forced outage rate, winning CEO praise.• Co-developed commercial team strategy gaining upside revenue relative to wind generation tax credit requalification without additional cost.• Developed and implemented new project review and budget approval template based on revenue projection versus risk to slash CAPEX spending 12% in first year while netting 30% increase in EBITDA.

Experience

1. Owner & Co-founder

   Square Foot Development, Llc

   Jan 2025 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   Owner and Co-Founder of Square Foot Development, a firm dedicated to supporting a diversified energy future through strategic land acquisition and development processes, focused predominantly on community and utility-scale energy projects. With an extensive background spanning 26 years in the power generation industry, providing vision and executive leadership was necessary to successfully identify, secure, and de-risk prime real estate for solar, battery storage, and data center installations.Additionally, Square Foot Development is the parent company of Equipped Power Rentals which provides mobile power generation sales, rentals, and crane truck services.

Education

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

  Federal Aviation Administration - Technical License, Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General

• Lindenwood University

  Bachelors, Business Administration (pend.) , Business Administration, Management and Operations

• Community College of the Air Force

  Aerospace Propulsion Specialist, Turbine Overhaul Journeyman Program

• Illinois Valley Community College

  Industrial Electronics Technology, Programmable Logic Controls and Engineering

Skills

• Nuclear
• Pipelines
• Electric Power
• Gas
• Generators
• Project Management
• Gas Turbines
• Electricians
• Maintenance Management
• Steam Turbines
• Factory
• Pumps
• Energy Industry
• Energy
• Oil
• Air Compressors
• Turbines
• Commissioning
• Boilers
• Management
• Oil
• Power Generation
• Dcs
• Leadership
• Maintenance & Repair
• Process Improvement
• Facilities Management
• Inspection
• Change Management
• Energy Markets
• Procurement
• Natural Gas
• Preventive Maintenance
• Power Plants