John Nelson
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Before founding Outland, John Nelson would often drive around the Buffalo Ridge area appreciating the majestic look of the wind tower and the power they produce. “I found the towers striking and stately, and I knew there was great potential for clean energy as I watched the blades rotate,” John said. “But I was disappointed because I found that most of the towers were private and the owners did not involve the local people in the project.”
“We created Outland as a community-based organization that offered opportunities to get people involved in local wind projects. I always thought that the landowners should share in the revenue stream of the towers, not just a small percent based on land, John stated. “I had the idea if people were willing to make an affordable investment that they could participate in new economic development in their community.” As a member of the Murray County Zoning and Planning Commission for twenty-five years, John led one of the first Minnesota counties to examine the potential of wind. It is with this experience that John began looking for opportunities with Dennis Fultz. John and Dennis have the technical knowledge and experience to analyze the potential of various wind projects. They also had trust and credibility in the community to employ more partners to see the projects through to completion. John’s community involvement portfolio is quite long as he is a strong believer in community service. From the time John was in high school, he was a member of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and church youth groups. John has served on numerous local commodity groups and local township boards. He also started the local pork producers group and headed the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). John served on the board of the Minnesota Corn Processors for twenty-three years. John was also a member of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association board for seven years. John has farmed for more than forty years. John and his wife Janice live in Slayton, Minn. They have four sons: Todd (who farms with his dad), Terry, Timothy, and Tom. His hobbies include boating, bowling, and yard work. John’s motto: Try to make a positive difference. |