Bert Valdman

Bert Valdman became the President & CEO of North Star Petroleum, Saltchuk’s energy distribution line of business.

 

Valdman brings a wealth of experience in the energy sector to the Saltchuk family of companies, most recently serving as the President & CEO of Optimum Energy, the leading provider of data-driven cooling and heating optimization solutions for enterprise facilities. Prior to joining Optimum Energy he was the Chief Strategy Officer of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, one of the largest electric utilities in the country. Prior to Edison, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Puget Sound Energy where he was responsible for regulated electric and natural gas distribution operations, as well as the Customer Service, Information Technology, and Community Affairs functions. He also served as Puget Energy’s Chief Financial Officer from 2003 through 2007.

 

Already very familiar with the Saltchuk family of companies, Valdman served on the Saltchuk Board of Directors since April 2015.

“We are thrilled we were successful in our efforts to move Bert from being a member of the Board to a senior leader within the Saltchuk family of companies,” said Tim Engle, President of Saltchuk. “We are continually impressed by his input and look forward to working with him to grow this sector of our companies.”

 

North Star Petroleum oversees leading petroleum and lubricant distribution companies Delta Western Petroleum in Alaska and Hawaii Petroleum – Ohana Fuels, Minit Stop and HFN – in Hawaii. Valdman is based in the company’s headquarters in Seattle, Washington.

 

“Our companies provide critical services to the communities that our more than 500 employees live and work in. I’m looking forward to spending time across our operations and working with our teams to continue to deepen and develop our businesses in Hawaii, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest,” said Valdman.

 

Valdman earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Northwestern University, as well as masters and doctoral degrees from Stanford University. He serves on the board of Lakeside School and has served as a member of the board of trustees for Overlake Hospital, Puget Sound Blood Center and Pacific Northwest Ballet.