At the beginning of 2026, Journeyman Lineman Shawn Evans was selected as Northern Electric’s newest foreman. Shawn will primarily be in charge of the Redfield crew. He took over the position after Kenny Swanson retired in January.

Shawn started at Northern Electric on May 8, 2000. With 26 years under his belt, Shawn knows the importance of responsible leadership in the field. Line work can be dangerous if the proper safety precautions are ignored, Shawn said.

“I want ensure all our linemen take the time to learn the right ways to do tasks, and aren’t afraid to ask questions,” Shawn said.

Safety is a major part of the foreman role, Shawn said. To keep themselves and others safe, everyone working around electric lines needs to know the proper ways to use tools and complete tasks. Northern sends the linemen to safety classes and hosts in-house training regularly, to ensure all linemen stay up to date on safety procedures. As the technology advances and becomes more complex, safety standards update. Even changes that make the work easier, such as bucket trucks vs climbing poles, require new safety procedures. Tasks like working in the substations require the linemen to have additional certifications just to step foot in the substation, Shawn said.

In his new role, Shawn will wear several hats, from project manager to emergency contact. Shawn will coordinate with fellow foremen Ben Peterson and Brian Hansen to complete projects assigned by Operations Manager Jerry Weber.

“The main goals are to keep everyone safe and keep projects moving,” Shawn said.

Being the foreman for Redfield has a unique set of challenges. Redfield has four linemen, counting Shawn, who report to the office there. Linemen at both locations are sent throughout Northern’s service territory, but when a damaging storm rolls through the southern part of the territory, the Redfield crew has to hold down the fort until reinforcements can arrive.

Shawn is a familiar face to the area. He grew up around Frankfort and went to school in Redfield. Shawn attended Mitchell Tech for two years of electrical construction and maintenance, and then completed the power line program. Shawn served in the National Guard for 21 years, and was deployed to Iraq from 2013 to 2015. He lives on a hobby farm near Redfield with his wife, Toni. They have two sons and three grandchildren.