Board of County Commissioners

Brief Biographical Sketch

Colleen was born in Minnesota, moving to Rural Central Montana with her family when she was 8 years old.  She graduated high school from the tiny town of Judith Gap, Montana, and went on to attend Montana State University.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Agronomy with a Soil Science minor in 1990 and currently holds a professional soil science certification in the state of Wyoming.  While at Montana State, she was a member of SPURS (Sophomore Women’s Honor Society with emphasis on community service and scholarship), Mortar Board (American National Honor Society for college seniors), and a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority.  After graduation, she worked for the Natural Resource and Conservation Service as a soil scientist and conservationist.  She married her husband Elgin in 1990 and resided at the family ranch in central Montana, where she was later involved full time in production agriculture (cattle, sheep, hay and crops).

Colleen and her family moved to Campbell County in 2004, when Elgin obtained a youth pastor position at a Gillette Cowboy Church. They continued their ranching operation, and Colleen obtained a job in the oil and gas industry with a focus on environmental and regulatory management. She remained in that role for 15 years, taking early retirement in December of 2019.  While serving in the oil and gas industry, she became the oil and gas representative on the North East Wyoming Sage Grouse Working Group, Petroleum Association of Wyoming’s Reclamation Committee Chairman along with many speaking engagements at statewide events including the Western Governor’s Association Bio-security Working Lands Round-table, Wyoming Mining Natural Resource Foundation Invasive Plant Workshop and the University of Wyoming’s Reclamation Symposium.  She participated in the American Petroleum Institute’s 2018 State of American Energy Luncheon in Washington, D.C., as well as their ad campaign for the industry.  She is a 2018 Wyoming Women of Influence nominee in the Energy and Utility category.
Colleen and her husband Elgin have two grown children and one precious grand-daughter, all residing in Wyoming.

Brief Biographical Sketch

Del is a third-generation native of Gillette. He attended Sunshine Bible Academy in Miller South Dakota from the 8^th through 11^th grade and graduated from Campbell County High School. Shortly thereafter, he married his high school sweetheart, Nichole. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army. Del identifies his time serving his country in the Army was the greatest experience of his life. After leaving the Army, he returned to Gillette to work in the family business, Dust Control Inc.

Del and Nichole have three children Brittany (34), Brandon (23), and Hailey (15). As foster parents for 17 years, Del and Nichole feel blessed to have had their lives positively impacted by so many children. In 2015 they started our second business in Gillette, The Range 307, an indoor shooting complex and gun store located on the same property as Dust Control Inc. Del served as the chairman of the Joint Powers Fire Board, and Nichole currently serves on the State Court Appointed Special Advocates board. Both have enjoyed their years of public service and look forward to continuing to serve their community.

Brief Biographical Sketch

Jim Ford was born in Gillette in 1973, he grew up learning the importance of a strong work ethic from being raised at his family shop C&F Repair Service. After graduating from Campbell County High School and Casper College Jim worked in construction and for various energy service companies, and over 25 years have spanned a wide range of jobs in the local and regional energy industries.  He founded Waypoints in 2019 specifically to pursue low-carbon market solutions in the coal, oil and natural gas sectors in partnership with both private and public entities. He currently serves as Operations Manager for the Wyoming Integrated Test Center at the Basin Electric Dry Fork Station under contract to the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority. Jim had previously worked as an Energy and Industry consultant for the Campbell County Commission, and was instrumental in the development efforts for the Wyoming Innovation Center; a local, State and Federal collaboration focused on emerging coal-to-products technologies. His career has centered on the regional energy sector in capital facilities design and construction, project management, oil and gas development, energy transportation, and rail terminal operations. Unique experiences in coal-based technologies range from bio-enhanced coal seam gas production to the manufacturing of activated carbon by employing a novel process of entrained flow flash calcination.

Jim is Partner and General Manager of the Fort Union Industrial Park, serves on the Energy Capital Economic Development Board of Directors and lives in Gillette with his wife Kandis and children Ethan and Sarah.

Brief Biographical Sketch

Kelley McCreery is a Campbell County native, born and raised in a local ranching family. After he graduated from Campbell County High School Kelley was drafted to the United State Army where he served in Vietnam in the 101st Airborne division. 

Kelley has a wealth of experience in Campbell Counties key industries, oil, gas, coal and agriculture.

Following his services in the US Army, like many others in Campbell County, Kelley worked in the oil fields. He ran his own business moving drilling rigs through the 70’s and 80’s, which makes him very familiar with the boom/bust cycles Campbell County grew up on.  From the late 80’s to mid 90’s Kelley worked in construction and in the coal mines. With all his experience in the different mineral industries, Kelley started his own reclamation business focusing on oil and methane fields, which he still operates today. Rounding out his experience in Campbell County’s resources, Kelly and his wife Nadine began ranching full time in 1996. Together, he and Nadine run the McCreery family’s Wyoming Centennial  Ranch  as well as their personal ranch. 

Brief Biographical Sketch

Butch Knutson was born in Newcastle and moved to Gillette with his family in 1967 in one of the early booms of the oil field. Growing up, Butch worked in the family businesses of oil drilling rigs and running cattle, where he decided his life goal of owning his own ranch. In 1974 Butch went to work for KG Construction and moved to Wagonhammer Construction from 1980 to 1984 where he was part of building Cordero Mine.  Butch then moved into the mining industry, going to work for Black Thunder Mine for over 18 years. From working in mining, Butch moved on to methane drilling in 2001 when he started his business Wizard Exploration. In 2003 he started Wizz Well Service with a kill truck, 2005 his business grew to include sight reclamation for methane wells and in 2007 they began roustabout services and hole plugging services. Butch’s goal was always to have his own cattle ranch, owning the cattle and the land independently from any banks. With his work ethic and ingenuity, in 2006 he was able to achieve that goal when he and his wife, Debbie, purchased their first ranch. Butch and Debbie then purchased a neighboring ranch in 2017, expanding their ranching business.

Butch and Debbie have been married since 1974 and have three adult children, Kim, Kelly and Clint. While Kim and Kelly have moved to different areas of the country, Clint helps run the family ranch. Butch attributes much of his success to the partnership he and his wife have and the dedication she has shared to the businesses the two of them have created.