Associated Electric Cooperative announces executive team changes
SPRINGFIELD, MO – Associated Electric Cooperative CEO and General Manager David Tudor announced changes to the executive team due to the retirement of Ken Wilmot, senior vice president and chief operations officer, at the end of the year.
Scott Thompson will transition from his current role as senior vice president and chief risk officer to senior vice president and chief operations officer leading Associated’s Power Production division. With Scott’s promotion, Brian Prestwood will assume additional responsibility for the energy risk management portion of the business as senior vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer.
These promotions, as well as Wilmot’s transition to senior vice president and special advisor to the CEO, are effective October 2.
“Ken Wilmot has worked at Associated for 12 years, contributing to many successes of the cooperative and its member-owners,” said David Tudor, Associated CEO and general manager. “I want to personally thank Ken for his trust and support. Following Ken’s retirement decision, we were able to move forward with minimal changes to our day-to-day operations thanks to succession planning, promotions and organizational changes recently put in place. Scott Thompson and Brian Prestwood bring exceptional passion for helping Associated provide reliable and affordable electric service for our members.”
Scott Thompson brings strong engineering and industry experience
Scott joined Associated Electric Cooperative as vice president and chief risk officer because of his significant energy experience, especially in commodity trading. He has worked in the energy industry 35 years. Thompson was tasked with building the Energy Risk Management function, added to the cooperative divisional structure in 2017 with his arrival, allowing Associated to expand its commercial operations.
He will work with Wilmot on various projects as he starts in this new role, supported by Power Production division leaders. Wilmot’s official retirement date will occur later this year.
Thompson joined Associated after serving as vice president of business development and customer services for ACES in Carmel, Indiana. He served in various roles at ACES, including director of natural gas trading and vice president of portfolio management. Thompson’s career also included experience at Williams Energy Marketing and Trading, PG&E Trading and Energy Services, Gasco Inc., Industrial Energy Services Co. and Halliburton.
Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Brian Prestwood assumes lead role in Energy Risk Management
Prestwood joined Associated in 2013 as corporate and compliance counsel, then named general counsel and promoted to senior vice president and chief compliance officer in 2016. He has been an energy attorney for 18 years.
Overseeing energy risk management fits with Prestwood’s other responsibilities, including legal, NERC compliance, audit services and document retention. During his time at Associated, he has worked closely with Energy Risk Management on managing risk in commodities contracts and has advised Associated Power Marketing on trade confirmations including negotiating the contract with INTL FC Stone to help gain access to ICE markets. Prestwood will start working with leaders on energy risk management projects and departmental leaders as he assumes these new responsibilities.
Prestwood graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish literature and a Bachelor of Science in radio, television and film. In 2005, he received his Juris Doctor from Texas Tech Law School in Lubbock, Texas. Before Associated, Prestwood worked seven years in Austin as an energy lawyer for the state of Texas and in private practice.