The Board of Directors for the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) is seeking their next Chief Executive Officer to continue the strong partnership and reputation it has with stakeholders from across the country and its member cooperatives who collectively serve nearly 300,000 consumer-members and businesses in Michigan. The current CEO, Craig Borr, will retire in March 2025 after 12 years of dedicated service. Notably, the MECA board recently ushered in a 5-year evergreen partnership agreement among its 10 cooperative members to reaffirm their long-term commitment to MECA as well as an updated dues structure for all members.

Ideal Candidate:

The ideal CEO will be a strategic thinker and relationship builder, adept at navigating complex legislative landscapes. They will possess strong communication skills to engage effectively with the board of directors, lawmakers, governmental entities, and regulatory bodies. They’ll have a deep understanding and appreciation of the rural electric cooperative business model and previous executive leadership experience. And they’ll exhibit an ability to build and nurture relationships with stakeholders to ensure the advocacy interests of Michigan’s electric cooperatives are advanced.

About MECA:

Working under a long-term services agreement with Wolverine Power Cooperative, MECA represents the legislative and regulatory interests of Michigan’s electric cooperatives with a unified message that ensures their ability to provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to member-consumers. Additionally, MECA provides member cooperatives with safety and mutual aid assistance, education and training opportunities, economic development support, and magazine publishing services.

About Wolverine Power Cooperative:

Wolverine is a not-for-profit generation and transmission electric cooperative headquartered in Cadillac, MI, that serves as MECA’s agent in providing management and administrative services. The MECA CEO will remain a Wolverine Power Cooperative employee subject to Wolverine’s terms and conditions of employment.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrable executive leadership experience within the utility industry
• Legislative experience in advocacy efforts at the state or federal level
• Working knowledge of the regulatory, political, and legislative environments facing the industry
• Ability to work and communicate collaboratively with the board of directors, executive teams, employees, member cooperatives, and key external stakeholders
• Willingness to travel frequently for meetings at the local, regional, and national level
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous executive leadership experience within the rural electric cooperative industry
• Advanced degree in political science, law, management, finance, economics, or engineering

Compensation and Benefits:

In addition to a highly competitive salary, MECA’s new CEO will enjoy the following benefits as a Wolverine Power Cooperative employee: NRECA R&S Pension, 401(k) with match, zero-cost medical, dental, vision insurance, health savings account, life insurance, short and long-term disability insurance, supplemental AD&D insurance, business travel accident insurance, tuition reimbursement, 9 holidays and generous paid time off.

Application Process and Deadline:

Interested candidates who meet the requirements must email a cover letter and resume to Kacy Wickenhauser, Chief HR Officer at Wolverine Power Cooperative, at kwickenhauser@wpsci.com AND submit a brief application at https://wolverinepowercooperative.applicantpro.com/jobs/.

Successful completion of pre-employment testing will be required for the finalist.

Resumes are due by 4:30pm Eastern Time on November 25, 2024.

What Is It Like to Work For Wolverine?

From our entrepreneurial spirit, passion for problem-solving, and focus on serving our members, the culture at Wolverine is the driving force behind our success. We invite you to be a part of our journey, as we work together to shape a brighter future for the communities we are proud to serve.