Watertown Municipal Utility Employees Achieve Leadership Certification

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - Two employees from Watertown Municipal Utilities (WMU), Cheryl Mack and Rodney Sutten, have earned leadership certification after completing the LEAD Course offered by Missouri River Energy Services (MRES).

Ms. Mack, who serves as the HR and risk coordinator, and Mr. Sutten, the purchasing, facilities, and accounting supervisor at WMU, were among 24 utility professionals to complete the advanced program.

Program Focuses on Critical Skill

The LEAD (Leadership, Excellence and Development) Course is an advanced training initiative designed to develop critical skills for success in municipal utility leadership. Over the past year, participants completed four two-day sessions. The coursework covered a range of essential topics, including:

·        Communication

·        Collaboration

·        Change Management

·        Accountability

·        Learning from Failure

·        Applied Leadership

Utility Leadership a "Strategic Priority"

The MRES program is part of a broader focus on workforce development within the industry.

Matt Schull, president and CEO of MRES, underscored the importance of the training. "Developing strong leaders within our member utilities is essential to ensuring a reliable and resilient power supply for the communities we serve," Schull stated, adding that workforce development is a strategic priority for MRES.

Steve Lehner, general manager of WMU, expressed pride in the local employees' achievement. "Strong leadership within our utility translates directly into reliable service, a safe workplace, and continued value for the customers we serve every day," he noted.

MRES is a not-for-profit joint-action agency that provides wholesale electricity and energy-related services to 61 member municipalities across four states, including South Dakota.