NRG People Power: Get to Know Hans Rottmann

In our NRG People Power series, we feature the faces behind our products and services, helping you get to know the individuals who provide the industry knowledge and experience you’ve come to rely upon from NRG. In this feature, we make a stop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to chat with Senior Manager of Technical Sales, Hans Rottmann.

For a man who describes himself as high-energy, Hans Rottmann presents himself with an aura of quiet, measured confidence. This isn’t surprising when you learn he used to be a competitive runner, completing 17 marathons with a career-best time of 2:30, before turning to sports coaching and time with his family. He understands long-distance running requires discipline, commitment, and calculated use of energy resources – skills he finds translate directly to his role as the Senior Manager of Technical Sales for NRG’s eastern region.

Hans leads a team whose focus is to collaborate and innovate with sales team members on the intricacies of NRG’s energy and sustainability products/solutions and provide intel and analysis on why new products suit the needs of customers amidst a changing market landscape. His team wears several hats, working cross-functionally to provide the support needed to bring complex deals across the finish line.

Hans enjoys the challenge of no two terrains—or business days— ever being the same, and his career path certainly mirrors that philosophy. Energy wasn’t his initial track – he graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 1991 with an accounting degree and intended to pursue his CPA. While exploring the job market following graduation, he took a role at at National Fuel in Buffalo, working with a friend from college. Ironically, soon after taking the job, he learned he had passed his CPA exam. By then he was running full steam ahead on the energy track and decided to keep the job. After 32 years, it’s safe to say he has found his calling.

At National Fuel, Hans worked for the gas pipeline during the early days of deregulation. National offered him a contract opportunity in Pittsburgh, which he eagerly accepted. There, he met his wife Molly, and planted his roots. From National, he moved to Consolidated Natural Gas (now Dominion) as a Gas Trader and then transitioned to an Asset Manager for retail customers with Columbia Energy. Finally, at the turn of the millennium, Hans joined Strategic Energy, which became Direct Energy, and now through the recent acquisition, NRG.

His experience over the years on the wholesale energy and trading side uniquely positioned Hans to understand the mechanics of how commodity markets work. Daily, he enjoys working with internal and external customers on savvy procurement strategies, compiling market intelligence, and helping customers understand complicated products and processes in straightforward, manageable terms. Hans is a respected thought leader for NRG Business and is a frequent panelist on NRG webinars, where customers find his market and strategy insights invaluable.

Hans says his team describes him as someone with a positive outlook. “It’s not worth it to be miserable, it takes too much energy,” he says, despite admitting that he is often over-caffeinated and has energy to spare. This constructive stance is a boon to all the teams he interacts with who have come to rely on his many years of industry knowledge and can-do attitude.

His team works remotely but they enjoy being in the office together whenever possible, where he and long-time colleague, Wholesale Originator, Lars Cleath, have a running joke when others confuse their similar-sounding Nordic names.

Originally from Poughkeepsie, NY, Hans is a first-generation American — his father is German, and his mother is Finnish. Despite being settled in Pittsburgh for decades now, he, his wife, and their sons enjoy traveling, including trips to Finland, Ireland, and the Grand Canyon. Most recently, they were in Houston for college basketball’s Final Four tournament, a family “bucket list” item.

When they are not seeing the sights, Hans and his family are dedicated local sports enthusiasts. Molly coaches high school basketball, and Hans coaches grade school cross-country, while also serving as president of the school athletic association. His sons Hans, Max, Jude, and Tom have all run on their proud Dad’s cross-country team.

In his free time, Hans volunteers at the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, watches “Ted Lasso” (a sports show, no surprise!), prepares delicious brisket and pork butts on the smoker, and cheers on all the Pittsburgh sports teams.

Hans recalls a leader at a past job had a placard with five guiding principles. The one that has served as his North Star is: “Check your ego at the door.” Knuckle down, and get things done — no matter what your title or role is, always jump in and help. It’s this adage that motivates him and his team daily. He sees himself and his team as shepherds, guiding colleagues and customers through the sales process to a successful energy strategy that benefits all parties. While he never wanted to be in sales in the traditional sense, the technical sales role that provides cross-functional support suits him to a tee. “We’re here to help,” he says simply. “Reach out.”

Technical Sales is a team of six that provides technical energy expertise to NRG's internal teams and customers while devising thoughtful solutions to match evolving market conditions and energy policy. Through market fundamentals, analytics, and market research, they also offer detailed information that helps energy managers make sound strategy decisions.