Snohomish PUD Moves to Appoint Craig Collar as CEO/General Manager

Craig Collar

The Snohomish County Public Utility District Board of Commissioners today introduced a resolution to name Craig Collar as its new Chief Executive Officer/General Manager. The appointment requires final approval at the board’s meeting on August 25, 2015, with an effective starting date of September 1. Collar has served as Assistant General Manager of Power, Rates and Transmission Management since fall 2012. He joined the utility in 2006. Collar replaces Steve Klein, who retired this spring.

“In naming Craig Collar to lead the PUD as general manager, we’re affirming our continued commitment to conservation, financial prudence, renewable resources, customer service and ongoing improvements to system reliability,” PUD Board of Commissioners President Kathleen Vaughn said. “We’re extremely pleased to have selected a candidate with such a broad background in the electric utility industry.”

Collar has played an instrumental role in securing tens of millions of dollars in grants and forging numerous partnerships with universities and research organizations as the PUD has studied and developed new renewable energy resources in the Pacific Northwest. His areas of responsibilities have included power scheduling, short-term and long-term resource planning, resource development, power and transmission contracts (including negotiations with the Bonneville Power Administration), rates, energy risk management, load forecasting and a range of federal energy compliance issues.

“I appreciate the confidence of the Board in selecting me to lead this dynamic organization,” said Collar. “I’ve been a customer of Snohomish PUD for 18 years and have a keen appreciation of the importance of the work we do in serving our customers from the smallest to the largest. It is humbling to be given the opportunity to take on this position.”

Prior to joining the PUD, Craig was employed at Kimberly-Clark Corporation for 16 years, serving in several positions that included energy and environmental manager, operations manager, operations leader, technical manager and mechanical engineer. He also served in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer. He earned his MBA at Colorado State University and a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Montana State University.