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DOUG JOHNSON
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
Blue Ridge Energy, 1979 - present
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, 1990 – present
Subsidiaries:
- Blue Ridge Energies, LLC – Propane and Fuels
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, 1998 – present - RidgeLink, LLC
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, 2008 – present
Board of Directors, Chairman, Audit Committee, Homestead Funds, Inc., 2003 – present
Boards of Directors, North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, and North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, 1989 - present
Board of Directors, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 1997 - 2003
Board of Directors and Chairman, Caldwell 20/20, Inc., 2009 - present
Board of Directors, Caldwell UNC Healthcare, 2017
Board of Directors, The Foundation of Caldwell Community College, 2004 - 2015
Chair, Advisory Board, Appalachian State University, College of Business, 2009 - present
Advisory Board, Appalachian State University, College of Health Sciences, 2012 - 2015
Advisory Board, Appalachian State University,
- Yosef Club, 2000 – 2005
- Athletics Feasibility Committee, 2011
Co-Chair (with Teresa Johnson), Caldwell Hospital Foundation Gala, 2014
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Appalachian State University, 1977
KATIE WOODLE
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Secretary
Blue Ridge Energy, 2012 - present
Subsidiaries:
- Blue Ridge Energies, LLC
Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer - RidgeLink, LLC
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Advisory Board, Appalachian State University, College of Health Sciences, 2015-present
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Appalachian State University, 2005
Master of Science in Accounting, Appalachian State University, 2006
ALAN MERCK
Senior Vice President, Electric Services Group and Chief Operating Officer
Blue Ridge Energy, 2012 - Present
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 2018 - Present
Oversees system operations, electric plant, reliability, engineering, member and customer service, economic development, public relations, energy solutions, marketing and community relations
40 years of electric utility experience, with 29 years at Duke Energy in roles including transmission/substation design and construction, system operations, bulk power trading and wholesale power contract management
Executive Committee and Board, Caldwell County Economic Development Commission
Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Associates Degree in Electric Engineering
JULIE O'DELL
Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative and Ethics Officer
Blue Ridge Energy, 2003 - present
Ethics Officer since 2016
Chief Administrative Officer since 2010
Vice President of Human Resources and Administration – 2004 to 2010
Director of Employee Development – 2003 to 2004
Master Trainer – Touchstone Energy Master Class in Strategy Execution since 2015
Certified Graduate – Palladium Kaplan and Norton Balanced Scorecard – 2012
Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) – Key Ratio Trend Analysis Level 1 and 2
NRECA – National Benefits Products Advisory Group
Responsibilities – Human Resources (employment law, compensation, benefits, recruiting, organizational development, succession planning, and talent management), safety and environmental, policies and procedures, governance, director elections, strategy management, ethics, and facility design.
JASON SMITH
Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer
Blue Ridge Energy, 2015 – present
Vice Chairman and Chief Operational Officer, RidgeLink, LLC
Management Internship Program (Select), University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business, 2019
Gettysburg Leadership Experience 2021
12-year USAF and USAF Reserve Veteran
Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) Fiber Subcommittee Chaiman
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute Advisory Committee Member for Electronic Engineering Technologies
Extensive military communication technology and leadership training
FCC Ground Radiotelephone Operator License with Radar Endorsement
Studied Industrial Technology at Greenville Technical College
Responsibilities - Manages the communication technology strategy for both the cooperative and RidgeLink, LLC, overseeing a vast network infrastructure spanning over 700 miles, as well as cell, microwave, SCADA and radio communication systems for IT, operations, and engineering. Develops cost sharing strategies through RidgeLink to positively impact the rates of Blue Ridge Electric members. Provides relational and contractual oversight for all RidgeLink agreements, and contract negotiations.
GLENDA CHRISTIAN
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Blue Ridge Energies, LLC
Blue Ridge Energy, 1994 - present
Chief Operating Officer, 2005 - Present
Board of Directors for the Hickory - Catawba Valley Homebuilders Association, 2002-2004
Vice President, Hickory - Catawba Valley Homebuilders Association, 2004
Past Chairperson for the Hickory - Catawba Valley Homebuilders Association Builders Fair, Today's Carolina Homeshow, and Parade of Homes Committee member
Associate of the Year, Hickory - Catawba Valley Homebuilders Association, 2002
National Association of Homebuilders - Life Spike Award member
National Association of Home Builders Remodelers member, 2008-2009
Dealers LP certified in Bulk Plant Compliance, Tank Installation and Cathodic Protection, 2012
Rego Products internal valve certification, 2012
Board of Directors, Lenoir Little League Association, 2000-2007
Kepner-Tregoe Management Certified, 2005
Graduate of the Blue Ridge Advanced Leadership Training and Blue Ridge Leadership Institute
Bachelor of Science Degree, Appalachian State University, 1986
Continuing Education, Business Law, Central Carolina Community College, 1988
Tanner Greer
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Blue Ridge Energy, 2009 – present
Chief Technology Officer, 2021 – Present
Oversees technology for the cooperative and its subsidiaries, including systems, support, cybersecurity, application development and overall technology strategy.
Management Internship Program (Select), University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business, 2018
Board Member, Caldwell County Wig Bank, 2020-Present
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Appalachian State University, 2008