The Utility Service Board of Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power announced Tuesday during its regular meeting that it has found it’s next general manager — and the five-member board didn’t have to look to far.
The USB selected Allison Huenemann as the new general nanager for CEL&P. She will assume the role starting Jan. 9, 2023, following the retirement of Phillip Goode, who has worked for CEL&P for 45 years. Goode has served as a certified electric lineman and line superintendent before becoming general manager in 2010. His upcoming retirement was announced in June.
Huenemann currently serves as the CEL&P controller, overseeing the utility’s financials. She is a certified public accountant and previously served as a manager at Baker Tilly where she provided outsourced financial services to CEL&P for six years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Franklin College.
She will become the local utility’s 23rd general manager since its inception in 1892.
“I am looking forward to continuing my work with the team at CEL&P to uphold our standards for providing reliable electric service to our customers,” Huenemann said. “I am confident that my background in municipal accounting coupled with the wealth of industry knowledge from our staff will keep the utility moving in the right direction.”
Goode is pleased with the board’s decision to appoint Huenemann.
“She is smart, professional, credentialed and highly motivated,”he said. “Allison has worked for CEL&P for seven years and has done an incredible job. I will work closely with Allison over the next six months to allow for a smooth transition to her leadership, for both CEL&P employees and rate payers. This is a great day for the future of the utility. I have total confidence in her abilities.”
Don Swearingen, president of the USB, spoke highly of Goode and said replacing him would be a difficult task.
“With over 40 years of service to the utility and community, he has done it all and successfully conquered every challenge he met,” Swearingen said.
However, the board did find a solution with the promotion of Huenemann.
“(She’s) an individual who is a vital part of the team and who can see important decisions through,” Swearingen said. “She is looking forward to the many challenges CEL&P faces, from the expansion of our transmission capabilities, to better serving our customers, and to moving the utility to more renewable energy in the years ahead. There are exciting times ahead for the electric utility industry and the USB is excited to have Allison in place to lead us.”
To learn more about the utility, visit online at www.celp.com.
