Jeff Myers is the Board Vice President of Clark County REMC.

What is your favorite moment working at an electric cooperative?

Not one specific moment, but I have always been impressed by the way cooperative employees respond during outages. It could be linemen restoring power in bad weather in the middle of the night, or office staff helping in any way they can; everyone brings their best to help our members.

What is something about leadership in a rural electric cooperative that you believe only other co-op leaders truly understand?

I think co-op leaders really understand and are in touch with the members they serve. We live in the local communities we serve. We know our neighbors, friends, and family, and that creates a unique and meaningful responsibility. 

Tell us something surprising about you.

I play keyboards in a local alt-rock band called JAKJAW, and I have performed before large crowds in southern Indiana and the Louisville area. I’m as comfortable discussing co-op board governance, energy efficiency, and winter peak demand as I am with playing “Jenny (867-5309)” on stage.

If you were a baseball player, what would be your walk-up song?

“What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes. Because this is currently JAKJAW’s most popular song, and it really gets the crowd involved.

What conversation do you think leaders need to have more often with one another?

I think it’s important to talk about preparing the next generation of co-op leaders. We have been successful because leaders have invested time in the people who came after them. We need to spend more time talking about succession, mentoring, and leadership development.

What helps you reset when leadership feels heavy?

I like to spend time with my wife, Kelly, my kids, and grandkids, playing music with my band, playing golf, and traveling. Those are all things that help me stay energized and maintain a healthy perspective.

What have you learned about leading that you would like to pass on?

I think one of the most important aspects of being an effective leader is knowing the importance of relationships. Most of the opportunities in my career came through relationships and trust that I built with people over the years. I believe good leaders invest in people — hire for attitude, train for skills. The technical side is important, but it’s people who create the culture and build successful organizations.