8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 8, 2011

OTTER TAIL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Minnesota	0-53713	27-0383995
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
215 South Cascade Street, P.O. Box 496, Fergus Falls, MN		56538-0496
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (866) 410-8780

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On September 8, 2011, Otter Tail Corporation (the “Company”) announced the resignation of John Erickson as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company on September 8, 2011. Mr. Erickson will retain his seat on the Company’s Board of Directors. The Board has appointed current director Edward J. (“Jim”) McIntyre to serve as interim Chief Executive Officer. Mr. McIntyre, 60, is retired Vice President and former Chief Financial Officer of energy company Xcel Energy, Inc. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2006. A copy of the related press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Mr. Erickson’s departure is being treated as a termination without Cause for purposes of his Executive Employment Agreement with the Company dated as of July 1, 2009. The Agreement was filed as Exhibit 10-P-1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and is described in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 2, 2011.

While he is serving as the interim Chief Executive Officer, Mr. McIntyre will receive monthly compensation of $45,000 and reimbursement for certain expenses. He will continue to receive the director fees paid to the Company’s non-employee directors. Mr. McIntyre will not be considered to be an independent director while serving as interim CEO and, consequently, resigned from the Audit and Compensation Committees of the Board of Directors.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

99.1 Press release issued September 8, 2011.

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Signature

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	OTTER TAIL CORPORATION
Date: September 8, 2011
	By	/s/ George Koeck
		George Koeck Senior Vice President and General Counsel

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit	Description of Exhibit
99.1	Press release issued September 8, 2011.

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Media contact:	Michael J. Olsen, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Communications, (701) 451-3580 or (866) 410-8780
Investor contact:	Loren Hanson, Manager of Investor Relations, (218) 739-8481 or (800) 664-1259

For release: September 8, 2011

Otter Tail Corporation Announces Resignation of John Erickson as CEO,

Erickson to continue service on Board of Directors

Current board member Edward J. McIntyre to serve as interim CEO

FERGUS FALLS, Minnesota - Otter Tail Corporation (NASDAQ: OTTR) today announced the resignation of John Erickson as president and CEO. Erickson will continue his service on the board of directors. The board has appointed current director Edward J. (“Jim”) McIntyre to serve as interim CEO. McIntyre is retired vice president and former chief financial officer of Xcel Energy. The board has begun the search process for a permanent CEO.

“After discussions with the board of directors, John and the board determined that Otter Tail Corporation would be best served by new leadership to move the corporation’s strategy forward. The task of the CEO is at best difficult; the economic downturn has made it considerably more demanding. We thank John for his more than 30 years of service to Otter Tail Power Company and Otter Tail Corporation. He has served our customers, employees, shareholders and communities with a high degree of dedication and integrity, and we look forward to his continued contributions as a member of the Otter Tail Corporation board,” said John MacFarlane, chairman of the board of directors.

MacFarlane added, “The board fully endorses the refined strategic direction that Otter Tail Corporation is pursuing. This strategy will narrow our portfolio of businesses, tighten and enhance oversight in our operations, and allow us to pursue investment opportunities in our electric utility. As we begin the search process for a permanent CEO, we are fortunate to have the seasoned leadership of Jim McIntyre to continue to implement the initiatives that are part of this new direction.” McIntyre, 60, has spent nearly 30 years in the utility industry, and has been an Otter Tail Corporation board member for 5 years.

“We believe that the strategic realignment underway will ultimately reduce our overall risk profile, enhance our credit metrics and our ability to support the dividend, and allow us to capitalize on the growth opportunities available to us. This strategic direction will be critical to delivering long-term shareholder value and I am pleased with the opportunity to play an active role with the executive management team in moving these efforts forward during this transition,” said McIntyre.

About The Corporation: Otter Tail Corporation has interests in diversified operations that include an electric utility and energy services company, wind energy and transportation, health services, and infrastructure businesses that include manufacturing, construction and plastics. Otter Tail Corporation stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol OTTR. The latest investor and corporate information is available at www.ottertail.com. Corporate offices are located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and Fargo, North Dakota.

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