In this episode, we’re joined by leaders from Vestas, a globally recognized wind energy solutions provider, to explore the profound impact empowering leaders to simply be present and connected with their teams can have on culture, performance, and safety in high-risk industries.
After a rise in safety incidents, they launched the “Be Present” program—an initiative to strengthen relationships between site managers and technicians. The program has led to measurable improvements in safety, trust, and teamreliability, offering insights that leaders across industries can learn from as they look to improve performance and trust in their own organizations.
Hear from AnneMarie Graves, Vice President of the Midwest Region, and Gary Lamont, a Vestas Site Manager based in Iowa, as they share how presence—showing up for people as much as priorities—has transformed their teams and operations.
Guest Bios
AnneMarie Graves
AnneMarie Graves is the Vice President, Midwest Region for Vestas, where she leads an operations team of 500 wind turbine technicians operating 10 GW of wind farms in the American heartland. From 2018-2021, AnneMarie lived and worked in Europe, leading 300 Vestas engineers supporting global deployment and operation of 100 GW of Vestas, GE, Gamesa, Nordex and Siemens wind turbine and wind plant technology.
As an early proponent of utility scale wind energy in the early 2000s, AnneMarie brings more than 20 years of engineering and management experience in wind energy. Prior to joining Vestas, she led a team at DNV GL specialized in assessing the performance and reliability of over 10 GW of operating wind projects, including predicting wind project production, analyzing and diagnosing performance, and modeling turbine life. AnneMarie started her career in 2003 with GE Wind Energy assessing the suitability of new wind project locations in North America.
AnneMarie has presented and chaired sessions at American Cleanpower’s conferences including AWEA WINDPOWER and Operations Maintenance & Safety Conference, Wind Energy Update’s O&M Summits and co-chaired conferences with Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy. AnneMarie holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Science and Technology Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Gary Lamont
Gary Lamont brings over 11 years of experience working with wind turbines at Vestas, where he has contributed to advancing renewable energy technologies and supporting the growth of clean energy initiatives. Beyond his passion for sustainable energy, Gary is a devoted family man and a music enthusiast, finding inspiration in both his work and personal life. This blend of professional dedication and personal passions shapes his unique perspective on life and work.
