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Senior Staff

Katie Woodle

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
and CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,

KATIE WOODLE

Katie Woodle

KATIE WOODLE

Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer

Blue Ridge Energy, 2012 - Present

Chief Executive Officer, April 2025 - Present

Chief Financial Officer, 2012- March 2025 

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

Amy Crowder

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
and CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER,

AMY CROWDER

AMY CROWDER

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Blue Ridge Energy, 2004 - Present

Chief Financial Officer, April 2025 - Present

Subsidiaries:

  • Blue Ridge Energy, LLC
       Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer
  • RidgeLink, LLC
       Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Cooperative Financial Professional Certificate (CFPC)

Member, North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (NCACPA) and the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives (NSAC)

Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Queens University 

Alan Merck

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
and CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

ALAN MERCK

Alan Merck

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 C. O'Dell

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
and CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER,
and ETHICS OFFICER

JULIE O'DELL

Julie O'Dell-Michie

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.

Brad Shields

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
and CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

JASON SMITH

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 Energy, LLC

GLENDA CHRISTIAN

Glenda Christian

GLENDA CHRISTIAN

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Blue Ridge Energy, 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

TANNER GREER

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

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Blue Ridge Energy
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1216 Blowing Rock Blvd., NE
Lenoir, NC 28645

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