MVEA Welcomes Gary Highley as VP of Engineering

Mountain View Electric Association is pleased to welcome Gary Highley as Vice President of Engineering, where he will provide leadership and strategic direction for the co-op’s Engineering Department and support the safe, reliable, cost-effective, and long-term planning of MVEA’s electric distribution system.

Highley brings extensive engineering, utility, and executive leadership experience to MVEA, including previous roles at electric co-ops. He spent five years at McKenzie Electric Cooperative during a period of significant system growth associated with the Bakken oil boom. During his tenure, the cooperative constructed and commissioned 25 substations and more than 400 miles of transmission line while serving rapidly growing industrial loads.

He later served six years at Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative in Oklahoma. His experience there included electric utility leadership as well as overseeing the launch and completion of a fiber-to-the-home project that constructed more than 5,000 miles of fiber.

Throughout his career, Highley has focused on system reliability, process improvement, infrastructure planning, and developing strong teams – experience that aligns closely with MVEA’s focus on long-range engineering and capital planning, system reliability, and responsible infrastructure investment.

“Utilities invest in assets that often serve members for decades,” Highley said. “When we are planning projects and making those investments, the big question is how we stay nimble so we can continue to operate as efficiently as possible for our members.”

In his new role, Highley will lead MVEA’s Engineering Department and work alongside the co-op’s executive leadership team on system planning and long-term organizational priorities. Developing employees and future leaders will also be an important part of his approach. Highley recently relocated to Colorado and said MVEA’s reputation, strong team, and the changing electric utility industry made the opportunity an exciting next chapter in his career.