Our Leadership Team
Tony was named CEO/President in January, 2017, after the retirement of Jim Smiley. He started his HM Cragg career as Chief Operating Officer in April, 2013, and has served on the HM Cragg Board of Directors since 2014. He has over 40 years of cross-functional finance, accounting and operations experience. He earned a B.A. in Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa and passed his CPA exam at that time. Tony also earned his Executive MBA from the University of St Thomas in 1998. Tony and his wife, Deb, have twin daughters Mikaela and MacKenzie who have careers in the bio-tech and medical fields in the Minneapolis area. Tony is an avid sports fan, enjoys cycling and always has a book nearby.
Dan is an industry-experienced professional with over 23 years of cross-functional backup power applications and project management experience. A graduate of the Naval Nuclear Power School and the Naval Nuclear Electronics Technician School, he served in the US Navy aboard the USS Los Angeles submarine and is well-schooled in a wide range of telecommunications, utility, and switchgear infrastructure solutions. Outside of HM Cragg, Dan and his wife, Amy, have two sons in high school. He is an active father and citizen, participating in Boy Scouts with his youngest son, as well as donating time and resources to local charities. In his spare time he enjoys the outdoors, biking and golfing.
Krista has over 25 years of accounting and finance experience. She started her career at a Big 6 public accounting firm and obtained her CPA license. She has worked at several large and smaller-sized corporations and gained experience in both environments. She earned her BBA in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business. Krista and her husband, Pete, have a daughter and two sons. She enjoys golfing, running and time with family at the lake.
Ruth has over 30 years of sales, marketing, business development and general management experience. She started her career at Eaton Corporation and then went on to family-owned and private equity manufacturing companies, which included two stints in Shanghai, China and Munich, Germany. She has broad industry experience ranging from Industrial, Commercial Vehicle, Electrical, and Flooring industries. She earned her BA in International Relations and Economics from the University of Minnesota, and her MBA from Metropolitan State University. Ruth and her husband, Dennis, have a daughter and a son. She enjoys traveling, working out, shopping, cooking and eating.
Dan has over 25 years of sales experience, either in the field working with customers, or in various leadership positions. Throughout his sales career the focus has been on technical industrial and channel sales. He earned his MBA from Bethel University in St. Paul, and has a son serving in the Navy and a daughter attending college. He enjoys volunteering in the community, reading, golfing, boating, and hiking.
George is a seasoned power quality industry veteran with over 20 years’ experience as a regional and national sales manager for several large, international UPS and power distribution manufacturer’s. He has been associated with HM Cragg for over 13 years either as a direct associate or in his sales role with his previous employer. George has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago, an MBA from Keller School of Management. He also completed four years’ service in the United States Army Reserve, and completed his course of study at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School where he received a nomination and appointment to the United States Military Academy. George and his wife Rachelle have three sons and enjoy cycling, hiking, golf and boating.
Gregg Atkinson is Director of Agency Sales at HM Cragg, bringing more than 30 years of experience in the Critical Power Solutions (CPS) industry. Prior to joining HM Cragg, Gregg had a distinguished career with Eaton as the Area Service Manager, where he developed deep expertise in power management, service/sales leadership and complex project execution. Recognized for combining strong business acumen with technical expertise, Gregg has successfully led organizations, developed high-performing teams and implemented process improvements across business systems (including ERP platforms). His experience includes managing complex data center and power infrastructure projects, navigating challenging commercial situations and driving sustainable business growth. Gregg is a U.S. Navy veteran and holds an MBA from the University of Iowa.
Tim brings over 25 years’ experience in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, and Engineering of engineered electrical products. He has worked within several large manufacturing companies including General Electric, Rockwell Automation, and Danaher Corporation. Customer satisfaction in all our business lines and the growth that results are his primary focus. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a MBA from Indiana University. Outside of the office he enjoys biking, hiking, and flying airplanes.
Andy is the former owner and operator of Ash Battery Systems, a third-generation family business operating in the DC power industry for over 62 years. He joined HM Cragg in 2016, bringing his extensive critical power sales, design and installation experience along with business and sales leadership expertise. He has consulted and designed countless DC systems in the telecom, utility and data center spaces, and brings nationwide industry networking and OEM relationships to HM Cragg and his team. In his free time Andy enjoys travel with his wife and kids, exploring the outdoors and is on an ongoing pursuit to lower his golf handicap.
James has over 30 years of engineering, sales and project management experience in the electric power industry, and has an electrical engineering degree from Iowa State University. James joined HM Cragg in 2025 after leading factory and dealer teams with Caterpillar and Generac. Throughout his career, his focus in leading teams is to listen to the customer, be responsive, develop complex solutions and provide confidence that their power will be reliable. James enjoys golf and sporting events, and along with his wife, Becca, they enjoy spending time traveling with their two sons and their families.
Wade has over 25 years of experience in sales, business development and customer service. Before joining HM Cragg in 2024, Wade devoted 15 years to aftermarket channel growth in the fluid power division with Gates Industrial Company. During his time at HM Cragg, Wade has been a key contributor in the growth of the generator division as a Senior Sales Manager, and currently leads the generator service and parts teams. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his wife, playing golf and spending his fall weekends in Bozeman at Bobcat Stadium cheering on the Montana State Bobcat football team.
Chris has over 40 years of experience providing technology services, solutions and strategy. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, he started his career as a software engineer and progressed into IT leadership where he has been for the past 30 years. Chris has worked for companies in the manufacturing, distribution, marketing, healthcare and ecommerce industries. With a focus on understanding business operations, Chris strives to leverage technology to drive efficiencies and client value. Chris has two daughters and a son, as well as four grandchildren, and they enjoy spending time outdoors and at the lake. Chris is an avid fan of Detroit and Michigan (Wolverines) sports teams.
Brian has over 20 years of experience in design, implementation and project management for critical DC power systems. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. Brian and his wife, Jennifer, have one daughter in grade school. He enjoys attending live sports and music events, and spending time with his family.
Mary is the Owner & President of CorTalent, a national recruitment and retention consulting firm and is also contracted as the Head of Talent Management for HM Cragg. Mary has 30+ years of business experience including working with small to mid-size growing companies as well as Fortune 500. She volunteers with several local career support and transition groups and has partnered with the Minnesota Workforce Center to help strengthen their various career programs. She is also the President Elect for NAWBO, and CorTalent is WEBENC certified.