This will be the final article I write as the CEO & General Manager of Central Electric Cooperative. For over 16 years, it has been my honor to serve this cooperative, its members, its employees, and the communities of western Pennsylvania that we are proud to call home.

When I began in this role, I understood that reliable electric service was essential. What I came to appreciate more deeply over time is that a cooperative is really built on trust in those that supply that service. Members count on us on cold mornings, during summer storms, and in the ordinary moments of daily life when electricity simply needs to be there. Earning and keeping that trust has been one of the greatest responsibilities of my career.

Serving a distribution electric cooperative in this part of Pennsylvania is a special privilege. Our hills, valleys, farms, small towns, and back roads make this area beautiful, but they also make our work demanding. The cooperative model was made for communities like ours—places where neighbors still help neighbors and where local ownership truly matters.

To our members: thank you. Thank you for your patience during outages, your honesty when we needed to hear from you, your participation in annual meetings and programs, and your confidence in the people who serve you. This cooperative belongs to you, and that has always shaped the way we make decisions.

I am especially grateful to the employees of this cooperative, past, and present. No CEO accomplishes anything alone. The progress made over these 16+ years belongs to the people who answered phones, helped members, balanced accounts, planned construction, maintained equipment, managed safety, kept technology running, and worked the lines in every kind of weather. Their professionalism and pride in doing the job right have inspired me every day.

To our lineworkers, I offer a particular word of thanks. You have missed family dinners, holidays, ball games, and quiet evenings at home because someone needed the power restored. I have seen your skill, discipline, and commitment up close, and I will always respect the work you do.

I also want to thank the board of directors for their guidance and trust. A strong cooperative needs thoughtful leadership, steady governance, and a clear commitment to the members. I have appreciated the board’s dedication to safety, reliability, fiscal responsibility, and the cooperative principles that set us apart.

Much has changed during my tenure. Technology, member expectations, regulations, cybersecurity, supply challenges, and the electric grid itself have all grown more complex. Through it all, our responsibility has remained steady: provide safe, reliable, affordable electric service while preparing wisely for the future. I am proud of the investments we have made in system maintenance, outage response, right-of-way work, technology, and long-term planning.

I am equally proud that this cooperative has remained a true community partner. We are not some distant company. We live here, shop here, worship here, volunteer here, and raise our families here. Concern for community is not just one of the cooperative principles; it is part of who we are.

Of course, not every day has been easy. There were storms that tested us, difficult decisions, and times when the best path forward was not immediately clear. Those moments taught me that leadership is not about having every answer. It is about listening, telling the truth, trusting good people, and remembering whom you serve.

On a personal note, I want to thank my family. This job does not always stay at the office. It comes home through late-night phone calls, storm updates, meetings, travel, and the weight of decisions. My family has shared that responsibility with me, and their support has meant more than I can express.

As I prepare to step away, I do so with confidence. This cooperative has capable employees, dedicated directors, engaged members, and a culture rooted in service. The future will bring challenges, but it will also bring opportunities. The next chapter will belong to new leadership, but the mission will remain the same.

If there is one thought I hope to leave with you, it is this: never underestimate the value of your cooperative. Local ownership matters. Democratic control matters. Service at cost matters. Neighbors helping neighbors matters. Those ideas have carried this organization for generations, and they will continue to guide it in the years ahead.

Thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving as your CEO and General Manager for the past 16 years. Thank you for your trust, encouragement, patience, and support. It has been one of the great honors of my life to work on behalf of the members of Central Electric and alongside people who care so deeply about serving others and, while I am excited about my next opportunity, I will miss having those people in my daily life.

As I close this final article, I do so with gratitude, humility, and confidence in the road ahead. May this cooperative continue to serve with integrity, adapt with wisdom, and remain a trusted partner to the members and communities we are blessed to serve. Thank you, and may God bless this cooperative, its employees, its members, and the place we are proud to call home.