Columbia REA Connectors

In the electricity world, a connector helps bring power from the source to the end user. In our Connectors feature, we introduce you to your real-life Columbia REA Connectors, our staff.

Talking to Mike Ahern, Columbia REA’s new Chief Financial Officer, about his career, family, education, and hobbies, it feels like you’re covering the last 20-25 years of his life. But then, as the picture comes into focus and you do the math, it becomes clear that you haven’t even covered half of that.

For many people, the path is mostly linear. For Mike, the last 8 to 10 years have been very layered, as in, “this happened on top of that,” and “I did that while I was also doing this,” and so on.

He says he developed his high-level multitasking skills while working for the family business back in his hometown of Ayer, Massachusetts.

“My family owns and operates school buses. I did a bit of everything… maintenance, operations, and office work. I learned to be a self-starter. That experience really shaped my approach to work,” he offers.

That time with the family business also shaped Mike’s future in another significant way. While working for the bus company, and also taking a ballroom dance class in Boston, Mike met his forever dance partner, and future wife, Deanna. It is still somewhat unclear whether the dance class led him to Deanna, or Deanna drew him to the dance class.

Either way, Mike soon traded in his dancing shoes for a pair of wings, joining the United States Air Force in 2014. After a couple of basic training stops in Texas and Mississippi, he was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. Fortunately, Deanna followed along, which ended up being the saving grace for Little Rock, as it actually brought Deanna closer to her family in nearby Texas and Oklahoma. And with her family in the area, it’s not terribly surprising to note that marriage followed less than a year later.

But apparently, being in the Air Force in a new town with a new wife still wasn’t keeping Mike busy enough, so he decided to add college to the mix, earning an undergraduate degree in math at the University of Arkansas – Little Rock. But after four years of service in the Air Force, he decided it was time for another new adventure.

“We decided the military lifestyle wasn’t a great long-term fit for us, so I transitioned out and joined Arkansas Electric Cooperative,” recalls Mike.

“While working at the co-op, I started an MBA program and discovered I really loved finance and accounting. That led me to pursue a master’s in finance at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. It was a great opportunity; a top-ranked program and more affordable than any similar program in the U.S., especially with VA support. We spent a year there. We had lots of family and friends visit and traveled extensively. It was intense but incredibly rewarding.”

You may be asking, how did Walla Walla and Columbia REA enter the picture?

“When we returned to the U.S., I took a finance manager role with a renewables subsidiary of Arkansas Electric,” adds Mike. “Within a year, I was promoted to CFO. We went through major growth, built financial models for renewable projects, and restructured the company debt. It was a great experience for me professionally, but eventually we started asking what was next. We loved the cooperative model and wanted to move into the distribution side, closer to serving members directly. That’s when this opportunity came up.”

“This opportunity” was the open Chief Financial Officer position created when long-time CFO Jim Cooper retired in March of this year after 19 years at Columbia REA.

Following a lengthy search process, Mike Ahern rose to the top of a strong list of candidates and quickly jumped at the job offer, and things didn’t slow down from there.

“It was only about six weeks from accepting the offer to moving here. We sold our house, bought a new one, and made a 30-hour drive with two cars,” Mike remembers with a chuckle. “It worked out, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it on that timeline.”

Mike and Deanna have settled in well since making the move and are very happy with their decision.

“We love it. We never imagined we’d end up in the Pacific Northwest, but even after just a few months, we’re really glad we made the move to work for Columbia REA. We’ve been exploring the area, visiting some wineries, and hosting family,” he offers with a smile. “My family is coming next month—so we’re just enjoying getting to know the community.”

Really the only point of contention so far may be the small bit of grief he has gotten from his new colleagues for not yet bringing his dogs to work to meet the crew! Yes, the Aherns are dog people, and if you know anything about Columbia REA, you know that immediately makes them a good fit.

“We have three rescues: Lady, Clark, and Eliza. Lady is a husky mix, Clark is a lab-terrier mix, and Eliza is likely a Vizsla-type hunting dog. They’re a big part of our lives.”

“We love getting outside with them,” Mike continues. “We also enjoy golfing, swimming, reading, and visiting local wineries. We’re just excited to be here and looking forward to getting more involved in the community.”

After learning about all that Mike has accomplished and experienced over the last decade or so, it’s worth wondering how many of those favorite activities he can do all at once.

Welcome, Mike and Deanna! We’re glad you’re here!