With 32 years of experience in the industry, Chuck Bowlin is no stranger to technological innovation. Since assuming the role of President and CEO of Greeneville Energy Authority in 2020, Chuck has put his experience with innovation to work for his customers.
“Offering broadband has been the biggest thing we’ve tackled since I started in my current role and we should be able to begin offering broadband services by late summer. We wanted to position ourselves to be able to apply for grants, and we received one for the western part of our county for over $8 million. We believe there are strong opportunities for other grants for our service area as well. For many years, we have had a proactive capital plan for our electric system that has added and upgraded delivery and distribution substations, and we’re continually upgrading lines and other facets along the way. Being proactive in upgrading our electric system is the key to advancement in other areas.”
With all the changes taking place in his LPC’s footprint, Chuck wants his customers to know that Greenville Electric Authority is looking out for their interests.
“I want my customers to be happy with what they’re getting. We have their backs, we have their best interests at heart, and we’re going to do what we think is best for them. We want good value for what they’re getting. We want to be competitive, we want to provide excellent reliability, and we want to meet their needs with services that will truly benefit them.”
Chuck credits Seven States as being a valuable partner for Greeneville Energy Authority as the needs of his customer base continue to evolve.
“We partnered with Seven States to install several EV chargers that we hope will be completed in the next few months. We are also excited for what Seven States is working on regarding middle mile fiber. Having Seven States as a resource to bounce things off of is helpful as well.”
With the rapid advancement of innovation in his LPC’s footprint, Chuck’s advice to future leaders is to lean into their team’s abilities.
“Don’t underestimate your people—they can do more than they even think they can. Give your team a goal and let them go with it. With your leadership, they will step up to that bar. If you give them what they need to succeed and challenge them, they’ll do it and surpass all expectations.”
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