As part of our ongoing series to introduce you to our co-op employees and their roles, this month we are highlighting a department that tends to interact more directly with our membership. While all employees are crucial in ensuring uninterrupted service, we will turn the spotlight on Construction Foreman Russ Camp and Assistant Construction Foreman Ryan Haddix.

These two men oversee the line crews responsible for providing reliable electric service and maintaining the infrastructure of the co-op. During a power outage, their goal is to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. While Mother Nature can sometimes be unpredictable, you can always count on the EnerStar crews to show up whenever they are needed, regardless of the weather conditions or time of day.

Leading the operations crew is Russ Camp, a journeyman lineman who began his career at EnerStar in 2009 after graduating from Northwest Iowa Lineman College and working for two other Illinois electric cooperatives. One thing Russ emphasizes is the team’s dedication to keeping the lights on for the members. “Each crew member takes this responsibility to heart. It means a lot to the guys,” said Russ. “We take pride in the work we do every day to strengthen the electric system and to increase reliability. Appreciation from members is a gratifying aspect of the job,” he added.

Ryan Haddix graduated from Lincoln Land Community College in 2008 and worked at Duke Energy before joining EnerStar in 2022. For some people, transitioning from a larger utility to a local electric cooperative could be a culture shock, but not for Ryan. “I enjoy working at my hometown cooperative, where I grew up and where I am raising my family,” said Ryan. “At a large investor-owned utility with multiple layers of management, it is easy to lose sight of how decisions affect the front-line workers. This is not the case at the co-op, where upper management works closely with the boots on the ground.” 

Thanks to Russ and Ryan for going above and beyond for the co-op membership!