Firelands Electric employees complete leadership programs

NEW LONDON — Firelands Electric Cooperative is recognizing three employees who recently completed statewide leadership training programs designed to develop electric cooperative leaders. Melissa Wilson, engineering and operations data coordinator, and lead lineman Evan Clemons graduated Jan. 20 from Ohio's Electric Cooperatives Leadership Edge program, a yearlong training initiative focused on leadership development. Director of operations Rick Bowers completed Leadership Elevate, an advanced program intended for senior executives. Leadership Edge includes six courses, personality and emotional intelligence assessments, and a capstone project. Training topics include communication strategies, conflict management, employee coaching and leadership skills. Wilson joined Firelands Electric in 2018 as an engineering data analyst and was promoted to her current role in 2020. She oversees employees in the cooperative's operations department and maintains the organization's digital mapping system, including infrastructure such as poles, transformers and wires. Wilson also assists with internal information technology tasks. "Leadership Edge challenged me to rethink what leadership means," Wilson said. "It's about stepping up when needed, listening with intention, and working together so everyone can succeed." Wilson lives in the New London area with her husband and three children. Clemons has worked for the cooperative since 2007, beginning as a groundman before advancing to apprentice lineman. He achieved journeyman lineman status in 2011 after earning certification from Marion Technical College and was promoted to lead lineman in 2022. He oversees a line crew and works on overhead and underground distribution systems, substations and other electrical infrastructure. "The program taught me that everyone communicates in different ways, and that finding out how to work with different types of people is a great skill," Clemons said. Originally from the Greenwich area, Clemons lives near New London with his wife and daughter. Bowers, who previously completed Leadership Edge in 2022, recently finished the Leadership Elevate program. The training focuses on strategic decision-making, organizational culture and preparation for upper-level leadership roles within the cooperative system. "Leadership Edge training is a great opportunity for co-op employees to develop the skills necessary for effectively leading people at all levels of an organization," Bowers said. Firelands Electric General Manager Don Englet said the cooperative continues to invest in employee development. "Our role extends beyond just supplying electricity," Englet said. "We're here to enhance the quality of life, work, and service in our communities."