Indiana Electric Cooperatives continues to strengthen its safety, training, and regulatory compliance services through a series of recent promotions and new hires. These team members bring a wide range of industry, regulatory, emergency management, law enforcement, and electric cooperative experience that expands the expertise and support available to Indiana’s electric cooperatives. The additions and expanded roles reflect IEC’s ongoing commitment to providing member cooperatives with strong, well-rounded resources to help meet evolving operational, safety, workforce development, and compliance needs.

Chris Gearld was promoted to director of safety, training, and workforce development. In this role, he will provide strategic leadership for IEC’s safety, training, and risk mitigation programs. Gearld joined IEC in 2021 after working in safety roles at Hendricks Power Cooperative and South Central Indiana REMC. Read more.

Matt Fearon was named program manager of safety, training, and workforce development. He will coordinate and standardize program operations across the department. Fearon brings extensive experience in emergency planning and management from his work with IEM Consulting and Marion County Emergency Management. Read more.

Cody Ikerd joined IEC’s regulatory compliance team as a regulatory consultant. In this role, he partners with member cooperatives to provide regulatory expertise and compliance support. Ikerd previously served as a lead compliance safety and health officer with IOSHA, where he conducted inspections and trained new compliance officers. He is a graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in applied health sciences – safety science. Read more.

Marty Jones was promoted to director of regulatory strategy and compliance, where he will provide strategic leadership and oversight for member cooperatives’ regulatory compliance programs. Jones has been with IEC’s regulatory compliance team since 1999, bringing more than two and a half decades of dedicated service to our members. Read more. Read more.

Adam Lock was named apprenticeship training program director for the Rural Electric Apprenticeship Program (REAP). He will lead the program by integrating technical excellence, regulatory compliance, and hands-on instruction. Lock joined IEC in 2018 and is a REAP graduate himself. Read more.

Bill Sparks joined IEC’s regulatory compliance team as a regulatory consultant. He brings extensive transportation and regulatory compliance experience, most recently serving as department of transportation compliance manager at MacAllister Machinery Company. Read more.

Becky Strait was promoted to senior regulatory consultant. Strait brings nearly 25 years of electric utility safety and compliance experience to her expanded role, having joined IEC’s regulatory compliance team in 2021. Read more.

Mitch Trimble joined IEC’s regulatory compliance team as a regulatory consultant. He previously served as a compliance officer with the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and also served with the Greenwood Police Department as a police officer, field training officer, firearms instructor, and SWAT team leader. Read more.

Eric Truitt joined IEC’s job training and safety team as a safety and risk management instructor. He provides training and safety education to help member cooperatives meet operational and regulatory requirements. Truitt previously served as electric operations manager at NineStar Connect and has more than 30 years of electric operations experience. He is a graduate of IEC’s Rural Electric Apprenticeship Program (REAP) and earned an associate degree from Ivy Tech Community College. Read more.