By Indiana Reed
Special to The SUN
Greg W. Munro, the chief executive officer of La Plata Electric Association (LPEA), has announced he will step down from his position in July. Munro, who has been with the cooperative for 21 years, will leave LPEA to pursue other interests.
“I’ll be turning 65, so the timing just seemed right. Val and I will do some traveling, but plan to stay in Durango, so folks will still see us around,” said Munro, referencing his wife Val Munro. “I have enjoyed my tenure with LPEA and will cherish the time I have spent working with the very special people who make up LPEA.”
Munro is a native of southwest Colorado, born in Silverton and raised in Montrose. He holds degrees in civil engineering, electrical power systems engineering and business management.
He followed a career path in the electrical utility industry and has amassed more than 40 years’ experience, serving in various capacities. Munro joined LPEA in 1993 as economic development director and assistant district manager, based in Pagosa Springs. In 1995, he was named chief operating officer and transferred to the Durango office. He was appointed LPEA’s CEO in 2002.
“Greg has proven to be a solid leader and business executive who has steered the cooperative through some challenging waters and kept us on an even keel,” said Davin Montoya, LPEA board president. “He’s made sure LPEA has always met our financial obligations, and he’s built a tremendously qualified, strong and cohesive staff, while contributing to the community as a whole. His shoes will be difficult to fill and he will be missed.”
The Executive Committee of the LPEA Board of Directors will meet in coming weeks to determine a course of action for hiring a new CEO, and the full board will begin discussion of the process at the regularly scheduled board meeting set for Wednesday, March 19.