GRANTS, N.M. — The Board of Directors of Continental Divide Electric Cooperative has appointed Macario “Mac” Juarez Jr. as the Co-op's Interim CEO and General Manager.
The decision follows the retirement of longtime Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Robert E. Castillo, who retired in April after 16 years of service to the cooperative.
Juarez, a Grants native, has been the Coop's Member Relations Manager for the past 21 years. More recently, his responsibilities expanded to include oversight of CDEC's governmental and regulatory affairs. As interim, Juarez will oversee Continental Divide's day-to-day operations.
“Mac's extensive knowledge of our Cooperative, our employees, and the communities we serve makes him well-suited to lead the organization during this transition,” CDEC Board President Keith Gottlieb said. “The Board has full confidence in his ability to provide steady leadership while maintaining the high level of service our members have come to expect.”
Among his accomplishments, Juarez helped lead the Cooperative's 2006 annual meeting to quorum status for the first time in a decade, with 862 members in attendance. In 2022, he was recognized by the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments for demonstrating regional leadership, collaboration, and service through his efforts to build partnerships among local communities and regional organizations.
Juarez holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications from New Mexico State University. Prior to joining CDEC, he worked as a newspaper reporter and editor at publications in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. He is also a 1993 Chips Quinn Scholar.
The Board also expresses its appreciation to the Co-op's employees for their continued dedication and professionalism during the leadership transition.
“Transitions are never the work of one person,” Gottlieb said. “The commitment of our employees to our members and communities provides the foundation for our continued success. Their dedication gives the Board great confidence as we move forward.”
The Board has initiated a regional candidate search for a permanent CEO/General Manager. (The job announcement is in this week’s Classifieds section.)
CDEC serves approximately 23,500 homes and businesses across five counties in northwest New Mexico. Through its telecommunications division, Red Bolt Broadband, the Co-op also provides broadband internet and digital phone service to approximately 6,000 subscribers.