The Kankakee Valley REMC board of directors has selected Scott Sears as the new chief executive officer for the Wanatah-based REMC. Sears, who has served as chief operations officer of the REMC since June 2018, will assume the new duties immediately.

“Scott’s deep understand of the industry, along with his leadership qualities and strong ambitions, will be crucial as we look ahead to the future success of the cooperative,” said Otto Werner, president of the Kankakee Valley REMC board of directors. “He has done an outstanding job in his roles at the cooperative and we are confident he will continue the strong mission of the organization.”

Sears began his career at Kankakee Valley REMC in 1998 as a system engineer before being promoted to director of engineering and operations. While in this role, he directed the engineering, construction, operation and maintenance functions of the cooperative’s distribution system. In addition, Sears worked with the Indiana Electric Cooperatives compliance department, oversaw contract services, and prepared engineering and annual work plans to meet the growing needs of the cooperative’s member-consumers. Prior to joining Kankakee Valley REMC, Sears worked as a project engineer for NIPSCO.

“I would like to thank the board of directors for selecting me to serve the membership. I look forward to the opportunity to move the cooperative forward as the premier provider of electric services and products that our member-consumers deserve,” Sears said.

Sears is a graduate of Purdue University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, with a concentration on power system analysis and micro-electronic control circuits.

While at the cooperative, Sears successfully completed the Leadership Edge certificate program through Indiana Electric Cooperatives and Supervisor Training Leadership Skills through DDI. He also served as a chaperone for Indiana Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Most recently, Sears graduated from the Robert I. Kabat Management Internship Program (MIP). Offered by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin, MIP focuses on member value being the backbone of day-to-day decision making, and new and innovative management techniques.

Sears said he is looking forward to navigating an era of change in the electrical industry. “There is a shift to offer electrical options: switching from fossil fuels to more environmentally responsible energy sources,” Sears said. “Member-consumers want more choices on how they receive their electricity for their daily lives. I look forward to leading our talented employees in developing ways to expand our services to mirror our member-consumers’ needs.”