LENOIR, NC (November 12, 2021) — Blue Ridge Energy has announced that Grey Scheer, who has served as director of community relations for 22 years, is retiring in January. Selected to fill the director of community relations position is Tasha Rountree of Ashe County, who had served as Ashe district manager since 2018 and is currently working in her new position. Promoted to the position of Ashe district manager is Ashe County native April Blevins, who joined Blue Ridge Energy in 2011 and most recently served as energy specialist.
Scheer joined Blue Ridge Energy in 1999 and has served the members faithfully for 22 years. Prior to joining Blue Ridge, he worked for Lynches River Electric Cooperative in South Carolina and will be leaving with 32 years of combined service.
His passion has been evident through the strengthening of structures and processes of several important Blue Ridge Energy programs like the Member Advisory Committees and Community Leaders Council, as well as developing and managing successful new programs like the Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation, Blue Ridge Energy Leadership Track and the “Heart of” free EKG programs for student athletes. Scheer’s demonstrated commitment to developing future leaders within our communities along with his dedication to member advocacy has made Blue Ridge Energy a best-in-class cooperative in these areas.
Additionally, Scheer has managed several important transitions that have benefited members and the cooperative including transitioning the original member helping program known as BREMcare to the Operation Round Up and Operation Round Up Plus programs. Scheer was heavily involved in the cooperative’s annual meetings and helped manage the transition to a business format. Additionally, he worked closely with local schools and educators on programs such as Bright Ideas teacher grants, student scholarships and electric safety education. Scheer graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing and Management. He lives in Lenoir with his daughter, Ginny.
In her new position, Rountree will oversee all the community relations programs of the cooperative, including the Blue Ridge Energy Leadership Track, Bright Ideas teacher grants and school programs, Member Advisory Committees, Community Leaders Council, Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation, and Operation Round Up programs.
In her former role as Ashe district manager, Rountree oversaw customer service as well as daily district operations. She and her team helped the cooperative earn and retain one of the top spots in the country for satisfaction. She joined Blue Ridge from First National Bank, where she was assistant vice president and business development officer. She is a member of Watauga Opportunities Board, Ashe County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Business and Community Development Board, and Leadership Ashe Committee. She is also a graduate of Leadership Ashe and the Watauga Leadership Challenge. Rountree graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Business Administration in Accounting. She resides in West Jefferson with her husband Josh, and son, Henry.
New Ashe district manager April Blevins now leads the Ashe office team in providing outstanding service to electric members and customers of the cooperative’s propane and fuels subsidiary. She joined Blue Ridge in 2011 as a member service representative in the Ashe district office and advanced quickly to senior status in this role. In her most current previous role as an energy specialist, she took pride in helping members and customers and enjoys educating about products and services available from Blue Ridge Energy.
Blevins is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in Interior Design and a minor in Marketing. April serves as the clerk for Bristol Baptist Church and is on the Business and Community Development Board. She is currently participating in the Leadership Ashe program through the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce. She lives in Lansing with her husband, Billy, and has three children: Alexis, Trent, and Tyler, who are in college.
Blue Ridge Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative serving some 78,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, and Alleghany counites as well as parts of Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties. Its propane and fuels subsidiary serves customers in the cooperative’s service area as well as Burke and, Catawba counties and Grayson County, Va. For more information, visit BlueRidgeEnergy.com.
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