Hinesburg, VT—Jan Blittersdorf, CEO of NRG Systems, Inc., received the 2006 Wind Woman of the Year Award for her outstanding contributions to the wind energy industry from the Women of Wind Energy organization. Blittersdorf received the award at the American Wind Energy Association’s national annual conference in Pittsburgh earlier this month. This was the first time the Women of Wind Energy group has made such an award. According to the group, Blittersdorf was recognized for her great leadership in making NRG Systems a sustainable and successful manufacturer of wind measurement tools for the global wind energy industry.

Blittersdorf joined NRG Systems in 1987 as chief financial officer and became CEO/president in 2004. Her early years with NRG were spent developing the company’s internal financial controls and systems and expanded to include managing the human resource function and developing a comprehensive employee benefits and incentive program. In recent years, Blittersdorf has focused on overall company management and strategy and guiding the growth of this leading manufacturer of wind measurement technology. NRG’s product line includes systems, towers, sensors and instruments used to measure and understand the wind. Historically, the company’s growth has tracked that of the wind industry’s averaging about 30% per year. About 60% of NRG’s sales come from exports; 40% come from domestic sales. Over the next few years, NRG expects its sales to more than double and its employee population is expected to grow as well. The company currently employs 59 full-time employees. 

Blittersdorf is a graduate from the University of Vermont and received a bachelor’s degree in professional nursing and a second bachelor’s degree in human development. She is on the Board of Directors for Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and on the Board of Advisors for the UVM School of Business. She is also a member on the Business Advisory Council with Vermont Speaker of the House Gaye Symington and a member of Vistage, a CEO membership organization. NRG Systems was founded in 1982.

Women of Wind Energy (WOWE), a networking and sponsorship organization formed in 2005, encourages and supports the participation of professional women in the wind energy industry. For more information, visit www.womenofwindenergy.org.