CEO’s Message – March 2026

Growing To Serve You Better

Columbia Rural Electric Association (CREA) is entering an exciting new chapter of growth and opportunity. As our cooperative continues to expand and prepare for increased demand, we’re taking thoughtful steps to ensure we remain strong, responsive, and focused on what matters most—you, our members.

At the heart of this change is the inevitable arrival of data centers. Whether in our service territory or nearby, data centers are, to put it bluntly, changing everything. Not long ago, our neighbor in Oregon, Umatilla Electric Cooperative, was roughly the same size as Columbia REA, then a data center showed up in their service territory. Now, Umatilla Electric has doubled in staff size to about 120 employees, with expectations of adding 75 or so more people over the next 5 to 10 years.

It’s not a matter of if, but when, a major data center sets up shop on our system. When it happens, the impact will be felt in every aspect of our business. Load growth will increase exponentially, as well as the strain on energy supply, especially as it relates to achieving our state and federally mandated clean energy goals. And of course, staffing will be affected.

We know it’s coming, and we are preparing for it. I am committed to preserving the close-knit, family-oriented culture that defines our Cooperative, while also maintaining the same level of service, safety and dependability that you have come to expect. I believe a thoughtful reorganization now will better position us for long term success in the future.

To that end, I am excited to introduce an updated Columbia REA executive leadership structure:

• Jeff Murphy (Manager of Engineering and Operations) will now serve as Chief Operations Officer (COO).
• Brendan Johnson (Manager of Technology and Member Services) will take on the new position of Chief Experience Officer (CXO).
• Columbia REA CFO Jim Cooper will be retiring this Spring, so Columbia REA will be announcing a new Chief Financial Officer very soon.

The landscape is shifting, but as we adjust we stay focused on the horizon, and our priorities have not changed. This reorganization will help ensure that we remain nimble, member-focused, and prepared to support the substantial new loads coming our way without sacrificing our legacy of commitment to our members and to the communities we serve.

If you have questions and would like to talk more about this or any other Cooperative-related issues, my door is open, and you are always welcome to reach out to me by phone or email.

Best,
Scott Peters, CEO