Title: 1) Owner and President; 2) Attorney; 3) Owner and President
Company: 1) Olson Energy Corp.; 2) Robert A. Olson, JD, PA; 3) Northern Pension Corporation
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Robert A. Olson, Esq., President and Attorney at Olson Energy Corp., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Lawyers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Law and Renewable Energy.
Mr. Olson has established a distinguished and diverse career marked by leadership in law, finance and renewable energy. Since 2016, he has served as the owner and president of Olson Energy Corporation, where he has combined his legal expertise with a commitment to advancing solar and wind energy initiatives. In this capacity, Mr. Olson has engaged with state leaders, including the mayor of Minneapolis and Governor Tim Walz, to promote the development of renewable energy facilities. His work in this sector is both a business venture and a charitable endeavor, reflecting his dedication to environmental sustainability.
In addition to his role at Olson Energy Corporation, Mr. Olson has maintained a long-standing legal practice as an attorney, as the owner of his practice, Robert A. Olson, JD, PA, since 1988. For more than 25 years, he has provided his expertise to clients on qualified plans, employee stock ownership plans, and corporate, income and estate tax matters.
Mr. Olson’s entrepreneurial spirit is also evident as the longtime owner and president of Northern Pension Corporation since 1978. His expertise in pension planning was instrumental during the early years of his career when he drafted approximately 140 pension and profit-sharing plans for small business owners in 1974 and 1975. Notably, Mr. Olson developed the first two employee stock ownership plans in Minnesota following new tax legislation, pioneering retirement plan structures that allowed employees to own stock in their companies.
From 1986 to 2010, Mr. Olson also served as a majority shareholder and chair of the board at St. Stephen State Bank. Over more than 20 years in his leadership role, he played a pivotal role in acquiring the bank and in implementing innovative employee ownership strategies through employee stock ownership plans.
Mr. Olson’s previous experience included serving as the owner and president of Corporate and Estate Advisers Inc. between 1978 and 1988, providing financial guidance to clients as an income and estate tax and financial adviser, primarily under tax laws in effect before the 1986 Tax Reform Act. He began his career in 1973 as an attorney with Bowman and Bruns Ltd. and subsequently with Strommen and Associates Inc. from 1977 to 1981.
Mr. Olson’s academic background laid the groundwork for his multifaceted career. He received a Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in psychology, history, philosophy and religion from Bethel University in St. Paul, graduating in 1967. He then pursued religious studies at Bethel Theological Seminary from 1967 to 1969 and completed coursework in business administration at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1970. In 1973, Mr. Olson earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
During his undergraduate years at Bethel University, Mr. Olson was elected to the student senate and served as the president of the men’s dormitory. He also coached college football for four years while attending law school after playing collegiate football at the University of St. Thomas during his junior and senior years.
Mr. Olson’s legal acumen is demonstrated through his membership in the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is also active in the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association, underscoring his professional commitment to clean energy.
Civically, Mr. Olson has been involved in public service, having run for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2007 against Al Franken in the Democratic primary. Earlier in his career, he ran for the U.S. Senate on the Democratic ticket in 1990 against Paul Wellstone and Tom Berg. He was also an endorsed candidate for U.S. Congress in 1994, representing Minneapolis’ western suburban district. In campaign speeches, Mr. Olson advocated for congressional action on tax incentives for clean energy development within the military-industrial complex, a theme that continues to inform his work today.
Among his many contributions, Mr. Olson developed innovative methods for leveraging tax law to facilitate profitable charitable contributions to nonprofits and government entities. A project known as the Olson Plan, this initiative involves confidential agreements with major corporations such as Target, 3M and Tesla. Mr. Olson credits much of his professional success to an enduring curiosity and interest in diverse fields, as well as to values instilled by his father, a minister dedicated to service.
Looking ahead, Mr. Olson remains focused on expanding implementation of the Olson Plan, aiming to direct significant resources toward solar, wind and storage facilities for government agencies and nonprofit organizations. This goal is a testament to his lifelong mission of environmental stewardship and public benefit.
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