Delaware Electric Cooperative has named Rob Book acting president and chief executive officer. Book was selected for the top job by the Co-op’s board of directors in November. He previously served as the senior vice president of member services at the Greenwood-based co-op and brings more than two decades of utility experience to the job. Book takes the reins of the Co-op from Greg Starheim, who will continue to serve as a senior advisor to DEC until the end of January 2023.
“For more than 20 years, I have been honored to serve members in various roles at the Co-op — I’ve also been proud to call the 170 DEC employees I work with family,” said Book. “What we do at DEC is special. Every day we’re focused on how we can provide affordable, reliable and sustainable power to Delawareans. As a not-for-profit utility, we are committed to doing what’s best for the people we power.”
Book started his career at DEC as coordinator of informational services back in 2001. During his tenure, he worked as manager of government and community relations, assistant vice president of member services, and was promoted to senior vice president in 2020.
During his time at DEC, Book was instrumental in launching DEC’s nationally recognized Beat the Peak program, which has saved members more than $38 million since 2008. He also distinguished himself as a community leader, serving on the boards of numerous organizations, including Waters Edge Church, Delaware State Fair, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and the Bayhealth Foundation.
According to DEC board chair Pat Dorey, “The Co-op is in very good hands. Rob is widely respected across the country as a co-op leader and has a proven track record of leading teams to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Aside from his work ethic and integrity, he is also a Delaware native and has a unique understanding of the communities the Co-op powers.”
Book said the DEC team will remain focused on maintaining excellent reliability, providing members with affordable and reliable power and preparing the grid for the growing popularity of electric vehicles. “The energy industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation, which brings both challenges and opportunities for our co-op. My goal is to ensure we are able to provide cleaner and more reliable energy to members while keeping costs as low as possible.”
– Report by Lauren Irby, Manager, Public Relations & Community Affairs, Delaware Electric Cooperative.