Ron Coker, former GRDA CEO, Dies
The Grand River Dam Authority is mourning the loss of one of its longtime leaders with the passing of Ron Coker (Miami). Coker died January 2. Services are set for 10 a.m. Friday at Miami's First Christian Church. Coker was 71.
Associated with GRDA for over two decades, Coker holds the distinction of being the only person to serve both on the GRDA Board of Directors and as general manager/chief executive officer. He was appointed to the GRDA Board in January 1980 by Oklahoma Governor George Nigh and served through 1987. In July 1988, the GRDA Board hired Coker to lead the organization as CEO. He served in that capacity until February 2004, and retired from GRDA in 2005 after serving one year as transition coordinator.
His tenure as general manager is the longest in GRDA’s 71-year history. "Ron Coker had a tremendous impact on the GRDA organization during his tenure, and remains one of the key figures in GRDA history and development," said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Easley. "GRDA extends its deepest condolences to his family." As a board member, Coker helped lead GRDA through the securing of funding and construction of the GRDA Coal-Fired Complex in the early 1980s. As general manager, his tenure was characterized by GRDA’s ongoing facility and reliability improvements to better serve its customers. Coker led GRDA through aggressive preventive maintenance programs at each of its generating facilities, negotiations for new contracts and extensions with existing customers, and a period of significant rate stability.
Other highlights of his GRDA leadership included a $30 million rehabilitation project at Pensacola Dam, the rebuild of the canal and water at the Salina Pumped Storage Project in the late 1980s and the implementation of an aggressive right-of-way maintenance/rehabilitation program. Coker also led GRDA through increased power marketing efforts, the 50-year relicensing of Pensacola Dam, and other efforts to demonstrate the value of GRDA and public power to the electric industry and state of Oklahoma. In 2002, the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma (MESO) recognized Coker with the Ray Duffy Personal Service Award.
Associated with GRDA for over two decades, Coker holds the distinction of being the only person to serve both on the GRDA Board of Directors and as general manager/chief executive officer. He was appointed to the GRDA Board in January 1980 by Oklahoma Governor George Nigh and served through 1987. In July 1988, the GRDA Board hired Coker to lead the organization as CEO. He served in that capacity until February 2004, and retired from GRDA in 2005 after serving one year as transition coordinator.
His tenure as general manager is the longest in GRDA’s 71-year history. "Ron Coker had a tremendous impact on the GRDA organization during his tenure, and remains one of the key figures in GRDA history and development," said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Easley. "GRDA extends its deepest condolences to his family." As a board member, Coker helped lead GRDA through the securing of funding and construction of the GRDA Coal-Fired Complex in the early 1980s. As general manager, his tenure was characterized by GRDA’s ongoing facility and reliability improvements to better serve its customers. Coker led GRDA through aggressive preventive maintenance programs at each of its generating facilities, negotiations for new contracts and extensions with existing customers, and a period of significant rate stability.
Other highlights of his GRDA leadership included a $30 million rehabilitation project at Pensacola Dam, the rebuild of the canal and water at the Salina Pumped Storage Project in the late 1980s and the implementation of an aggressive right-of-way maintenance/rehabilitation program. Coker also led GRDA through increased power marketing efforts, the 50-year relicensing of Pensacola Dam, and other efforts to demonstrate the value of GRDA and public power to the electric industry and state of Oklahoma. In 2002, the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma (MESO) recognized Coker with the Ray Duffy Personal Service Award.
posted by Editor | 1:20 AM
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