Last Updated on July 7, 2026 9:32 am
Lenoir, North Carolina (July 7 2026) – Blue Ridge Energy has announced the official appointment of Mike High as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of the cooperative.
High previously served as Director of Engineering Services at Blue Ridge Energy for the past 22 years. He has a total of 37 years of electric utility experience, including engineering and senior leadership roles at Clay Electric Cooperative and Central Florida Electric Cooperative before joining Blue Ridge Energy. High’s expertise encompasses engineering, electric system reliability and strategic planning.
A registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina and Florida, High earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida in 1989.
“We are thrilled to have Mike on our leadership team helping continue a strong tradition of providing member value through electric reliability and affordability now and in the future,” said Blue Ridge Energy Chief Executive Officer Katie Woodle. “He is well-positioned to lead operations and our employees as the cooperative navigates an increasingly complex energy landscape.”
With this change, former Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President Alan Merck enters a retirement transition and will operate in a consulting capacity for the cooperative for the next year. Merck has spent 43 years in the electric utility industry, formerly with Duke Energy and for the past 14 years with Blue Ridge Energy.
“Alan’s steady leadership, deep industry knowledge, and unwavering commitment to our members have left a lasting impact on this organization,” said Chief Executive Officer Katie Woodle. “He has played a pivotal role in our cooperative’s success through critical infrastructure growth and technological advancements to serve members for decades to come,” Woodle said.
As part of the transition, Blake Herman was named Director of Engineering Servies. Herman previously served as Blue Ridge Energy’s Transmission and Distribution Engineering Manager and is a registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina. He originally joined the cooperative as an engineering intern while earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
He is recognized for his exceptional engineering capabilities, leadership skills, and dedication to the cooperative’s mission.
“These leadership changes reflect Blue Ridge Energy’s commitment to thoughtful succession planning and help us ensure continuity in service, operational excellence, and long-term stability for the communities we serve,” said Woodle.
Blue Ridge Energy serves some 80,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Wilkes and Alexander counties. Learn more at BlueRidgeEnergy.com.
