As the Chair of Golden Valley Electric Association’s (GVEA) board of directors, I appreciate the opportunity to address our members as we embark on a significant transition in our cooperative’s leadership.
Several months ago, CEO John Burns shared with the board his intention to retire in June of this year, after 8 years of exemplary service to GVEA and the membership. Since 2016, John has served as GVEA’s General Counsel and as CEO for the last 4 years. He has guided our cooperative through both challenges and triumphs with an unwavering commitment to the cooperative 以及我们的成员. On behalf of the board of directors, we extend our gratitude to John for his outstanding contributions and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.
We are appreciative to John for giving ample notice, which provided the board the opportunity to pursue a deliberative succession planning process to ensure that the best choice could be made for Golden Valley, 我们的员工, 以及我们的成员. 结果是, the board approved a resolution at our May 28 meeting to name GVEA’s Chief Operating Officer, 特拉维斯几百万, as the new CEO upon John’s retirement.
With over a dozen years of experience in the electric utility industry and a proven track record of leadership as CEO of Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) prior to coming to GVEA, Travis is well-prepared to lead the cooperative into its next chapter of growth and innovation. For the last 8 months as COO he’s been responsible for overseeing GVEA’s Operations, 工程, and Power Supply departments – a role he also previously held at CVEA as well as being Manager of CVEA’s Power Generation and Compliance. In addition to his operational and executive credentials, Travis is familiar with Railbelt utility-related issues through the various roles he has served, including with the Alaska Power Association (APA) as both a board member and as a member of APA’s 安全 Committee, as a member of NRECA’s Generation Advisory Committee and with the Alaska Broadband Advisory Board.
Travis is imminently qualified to lead GVEA as CEO and his level of experience will be a tremendous asset to the cooperative as we look to future. The board of directors is confident that Travis’ leadership will ensure a smooth transition as the cooperative continues to focus on serving its members, advancing cost-saving initiatives, and working toward transformative change along the Railbelt.
It is evident that there are challenges ahead, both for GVEA and for the entire Railbelt, regarding rising costs, natural gas shortage issues, and increasing regulations on carbon emissions. These challenges are precisely what GVEA’s Strategic Generation Plan (SGP) is meant to address. The board is confident that this plan will take this cooperative in the right direction as we remain committed to providing safe, 可靠的, and affordable electricity to our members, while also embracing innovation and adapting to meet evolving needs.
另外, continuing to collaborate and foster partnerships with the other Railbelt utilities, state and local governments, key stakeholders and organizations is essential as we all work to address these shared challenges and seize opportunities to lower costs and increase reliability.
With Travis at the helm, building upon John’s solid foundation, and the support of our dedicated staff, 董事会成员, 和成员, I am confident that GVEA will achieve our goals and continue to fulfill the energy needs of the communities we serve.
汤姆德龙
GVEA Board of Directors, Chair