Chugach Electric Begins CEO Search

The Chugach Electric Association board of directors is looking for the next leader of Alaska’s largest electric utility. The search for a new chief executive officer follows the announcement in July that current CEO Lee Thibert is retiring at the end of April 2022.

The Chugach board is partnering with JK Executive Strategies in the search for the CEO. JK Executive Strategies is a national executive search and recruiting firm and was chosen through an RFP process. The Chugach CEO is hired by the board of directors and directs, plans, and manages the activities of the co-op in accordance with its bylaws, established polices, strategic plans, and business objectives. The CEO also provides leadership, vision, and direction for the utility and its staff.

“This is an exciting and challenging time in the electric utility industry,” says Chugach Board Chair Rachel Morse. “We are looking for a highly-competent leader who will continue to guide Chugach with a forward-thinking approach and a steady hand to ensure a smooth transition.”

Chugach is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, with more than 92,000 members at more than 115,000 metered locations. At the end of 2020, Chugach acquired the city-owned Municipal Light & Power, nearly doubling the size of its workforce to roughly 460 employees.