ACES announced today that Christopher D. Haas will succeed Riley “RB” Sloan as Meridian Cooperative’s Chief Executive Officer, effective May 16, 2022. RB Sloan has served as President and CEO of Meridian since 2013 and will be retiring.
Chris Haas is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at ACES, an energy risk management service provider headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. At ACES, Chris has overseen physical and cyber security, telecommunications, software development, data analytics, project management and customer integration, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance, analytical portfolio modeling, physical fuels trading, meteorology services and operational forecasting for solar and hydro generation, battery storage, power and natural gas prices, and demand across ACES’ four offices.
“Utilities are facing change at a more rapid pace than ever. Meridian is committed to anticipating these changes and delivering innovation that transforms the utility customer experience. Chris’ background and experience across many facets of our industry give him a deep expertise that will undoubtedly help guide Meridian into a new era,” said Meridian’s Board Chairman, Tom Stackhouse. “He has a long history of serving electric cooperatives and public power entities. Just as importantly, Chris embodies the cooperative spirit and shares our company values,” he adds.
“The future of Meridian is bright,” shares Chris. “As we continue to practice the stewardship modeled by RB, we will rely on our innovative team to imagine the future and elevate our customer experience.”
ACES’ President and CEO, Mike Steffes, commented, “Chris Haas joined ACES in 2000 as one of the first Information Technology employees at ACES. He was integral in creating ACES’ foundation of people and systems and providing an engine for our company’s growth and success. Chris established himself as an effective leader early in his tenure at ACES and has been a tremendous asset to the company. The structures and systems he established and people he has mentored and helped develop has been instrumental in setting ACES up for success in serving our Members and Customers. We wish him the best as he begins this new chapter in his career.”
About Meridian
The Meridian Cooperative Enterprise is a trusted leader in the development of innovative utility software and technology solutions. As a cooperative, they’re committed to providing its users with the Billing, Accounting, Engineering, and Operations applications they rely on to provide essential services in their communities. Their all-in-one solutions are cost-effective, flexible, and backed by teams of expert designers and dedicated support staff. With over 45 years of experience, they are second to none in terms of developing cutting-edge technologies and building lasting relationships in the communities they serve.
About ACES
ACES is owned by twenty-one generation and transmission cooperatives and one independent distribution cooperative. The company assists its Members and Customers in the management of their energy risk. The Members and Customers served by ACES operate in all of the major electricity markets in the United States and have a collective portfolio of over 50,000 MW of both load and resources. Because ACES does not buy or sell energy on its own behalf, it avoids conflicts of interest and ensures alignment with the best interests of the organizations it serves.