Alva Review-Courier -

Alfalfa Electric Cooperative (AEC) has undergone some major changes in employment recently. There is a new general manager, director of operations, and manager of engineering and operations, as well as a working foreman position that is soon to be filled. AEC requires a large amount of expertise to run, with over 3,300 miles of electric distribution lines, 3,000 members, 48 employees and a seven-county area (including Kansas). Previously, its general manager was Collin Whitely, but those shoes have now been filled by another qualified individual – one with over 31 years of experience with AEC.

As of Sept. 1, the new general manager is Greg Goetz, from Cherokee. He is married to his wife, Dianne, and they have a daughter, Kyla, who is married and lives in Garden City, Kansas. Offering a firm handshake and a warm smile at the start of our interview, Goetz exuded quiet confidence that can only come from someone who's had 31 years of experience in the industry, and then some.

Goetz's history with the AEC is diverse and filled with hard work. He's done it all. Goetz started working for AEC in 1985 as an apprentice lineman, and worked his way up to crew foreman. Years later he started working for the engineering department as a safety engineer. He was a safety engineer for about 15 years before he took over as director of engineering. Five or six years later, he became the manager of engineering and operations, in which role he served until the first of this month when he was promoted to general manager of the whole co-op.

Goetz attributed his ability to get along with people and problem solve as his top attributes that can serve AEC and its customers. “I've always enjoyed meeting out members, getting to know them, and just working for them – everything we do is for them.” Goetz said.

Working for and with the customers, businesses should be aware of customer's needs. “We're always looking for ways to improve service for our customers,” Goetz said. “And one of the ways to do that is by keeping up with technology.” Goetz stated that AEC is always working on improving their applications (apps) that allow customers to report outages, pay their bills, and check on the statuses of requests via apps on their smartphones and tablets. “Technology and customer usage friendliness is an area that we can always improve in and that's ever changing.”

Goetz came highly recommended from other members of the AEC. Gail Ridgeway, CFO of AEC, stated, “Greg has over 30 years of experience here at AEC and will be a great leader for the cooperative. His experience in the line and engineering departments is a huge asset to AEC.” Linda Warner, AEC's executive assistant, also spoke highly of Goetz. “Greg Goetz is one of the easiest going fella’s I have come to know over my 11 years at Alfalfa Electric,” Warner said. “He is a quiet leader, a respectful listener and will stand up for AEC as a powerful manager.” She also spoke of his commitment to AEC's customers, “He is familiar with every aspect of the cooperative and the constant changes in technology,” Warner said. “keeping the membership and their needs his top priority.”

A good attitude, respectful leadership ability, and the diverse knowledge base that Goetz has accumulated could make him a boon to the AEC staff this year and beyond. When asked about the challenges that general managers face, Goetz optimistically stated, “There are always challenges and changes coming about that you have to deal with, but with a good staff around you and a good board, we can meet those challenges.”