The view in Jeremy’s neighborhood? Pretty incredible.
Jeremy took a long look back at the shell of the 1950 Chevy pickup truck. “We’ve got about eight months to get it done,” he said, and laughed.
Jeremy Turner is a director for New Mexico Project Development with Pattern Energy.
More importantly, he is the father of a son who graduates high school in 2022, and wants to have his restored Chevy with a black cherry paint job ready for senior pictures.
Eight months to finish, (WITH a Black Cherry paint job), no problem… right?
“The problem with getting this truck done is we’re always outside with the animals, because we’re a 4-H family.”
Pattern Energy loves its people and we enjoy introducing members of our team to the public. They are what makes our work possible, and today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Turner.
“I learned how to weld when I was ten years old,” Jeremy said, “and I really liked it. By the time I was twelve I was working full time at it, and I did it all through high school. I paid my way through college welding. It’s an excellent skill to have.”
Jeremy was born in Wyoming and raised in New Mexico. He has a MBA from NMSU in agriculture and economics, but has been working full time since he was twelve.
“I learned how to weld when I was 10 years old,” Jeremy said, “and I really liked it. By the time I was 12 I was working full time at it, and I did it all through high school. I paid my way through college welding. It’s an excellent skill to have.”
The workshop paint “shed.”
He told me all this as we were standing in his self-built workshop on his family property in Santa Fe. At the end of an unpaved road, it feels far away from… everything, really. There are different animals living there, including some goats and I had to admit I was jealous of the property.
As he finished showing me around his workshop, we paused at the door and I was shown the paint “shed” he made inside his workshop. “I’m not sure I am good enough to lay down that black cherry paint job, but we’ll see.”
Inside the paint shed.
We stepped outside into the sun and started talking about his family.
Jeremy’s wife is Christina Turner, who is the 4-H agent for Santa Fe, and together they have two children. Lauren is 12, and Chris is 17. (Everyone wasn’t home when I came today).
4-H
“4-H is a big part of our life,” Jeremy said, smiling, “ and my daughter Lauren is a champion this year, just like she has been in the past.”
Lauren with proud dad Jeremy in front of her many championship belt buckles.
We looked around. “We’re an outdoors family,” said Jeremy happily. “Taking care of livestock is demanding work, but we all enjoy it.”
Jeremy and Christina buy livestock for the kids to raise, and then they do the work themselves, culminating in an annual competition.
The animals are shown and judged, awards are given, and then there is a livestock auction.
“Pattern has been a terrific partner for the 4-H competitions,” Jeremy told me, “they buy livestock and then donate it to where it can do the most good in the community. They also support numerous local and state fairs, which makes me happy working for them.”
Lauren competes to WIN.
Western Spirit
“New Mexico is an exporter, and that makes the Western Spirit project incredible for our state. We created jobs here for New Mexicans with it, and the state earns revenue from other states for the energy we produce. It’s a huge win — New Mexico gets the jobs and revenue and it’s paid for by other states.”
Western Spirit includes several wind farms and 154 mile transmission line making it one of the largest single-phase renewable power build outs in the history of the U.S. It’s also the largest clean energy investment in New Mexico’s history.
Jeremy got his start in banking, spent time as a financial advisor for the New Mexico Finance Authority, and eventually rose to become their Chief Financial Advisor.
After nine years with the organization, he joined the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA), and they partnered with a Goldman Sachs subsidiary to get the Western Spirit project going.
In 2015, Jeremy formed a consulting firm with another former RETA colleague, Angela Gonzalez.
Together they worked tirelessly to bring Western Spirit to fruition, and as the project advanced they got to know Pattern, which ended up owning the project. Eventually, Jeremy and Angela officially joined the Pattern team.
“Pattern is a phenomenal company with top-notch leadership,” Jeremy told me. “It is the most impressive group of people I have ever worked with, from CEO Mike Garland on down through the rest of the organization. I have been incredibly impressed.”
The Future
I asked Jeremy about the future for wind in New Mexico, as well as for his family. He told me resources will start freeing up now that the Western Spirit is underway, and he rightly feels a great deal of pride seeing the project through from beginning to end.
“There’s a lot to love in New Mexico,” Jeremy told me, “and we’re excited for the future.”
Looking west from the Turner’s home.