The City of Lenoir City Council honored Blue Ridge Energy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Doug Johnson last week during the City Council meeting. Council thanked Johnson for more than four decades of service to residents and businesses.
Mayor Joe Gibbons read and presented a resolution to Johnson on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Mayor Gibbons also gave Johnson a key to the city.
“This is one of those bitter-sweet times,” Mayor Gibbons said. “We want to say so many good ‘thank yous’ to Doug Johnson – what he has meant to this community, and what he has meant to the City of Lenoir, Caldwell County, and all the counties Blue Ridge represents in western North Carolina. Doug, it’s been a pleasure working with you, and we want you to know that we are so excited for you in your retirement. I know your wife, grandchildren, and children are all excited that you’re going to be with them.”
Blue Ridge Energy (BRE) is a member-owned electric cooperative utility serving some 80,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany counties and part of Wilkes, Avery, and Alexander counties. The cooperative was started almost 90 years ago and is headquartered in Lenoir.
Johnson joined BRE in 1979 and has served as CEO since 1989. During his 46-year career with BRE, Johnson led the cooperative through many improvements that benefited the member-owners. He added a propane and fuels subsidiary and RidgeLink, a business-to-business dark fiber provider. These moves added jobs and local services, and they helped hold down member rates.
BRE also helped the City of Lenoir with projects. The cooperative financed Fire Station 3 and helped fund lighting at Mack Cook Stadium in Downtown Lenoir. BRE has also pledged financing for a new fire engine.
Johnson said he has always been very proud of the fact that BRE’s headquarters are in Lenoir.
“We started in Lenoir and Caldwell County in 1936, and I have bragged about that for my entire career. I have been proud of the fact that we are such an important part of this wonderful city,” Johnson said. “I love this place. I love the people of this town and this county, and Blue Ridge is so honored to be a part, not only in providing electricity, but as the Mayor said, in doing things to make life better for the people in this area. I am highly honored. I deeply appreciate the very kind words, and I appreciate the key to the city. Thank you.”
Johnson will retire from BRE at the end of June. The full resolution is below.
Pictured from left: Councilmembers Kimmie Rogers, David Stevens, Crissy Thomas, and Ralph Prestwood; Doug Johnson; City Manager Scott Hildebran; Mayor Joe Gibbons; and Councilmembers Todd Perdue, Ike Perkins, and Jonathan Beal.
Resolution honoring Douglas Wayne Johnson
WHEREAS, Blue Ridge Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative utility serving some 80,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany counties and part of Wilkes, Avery, and Alexander counties; and
WHEREAS, Douglas Wayne Johnson graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, started working at Blue Ridge Energy in 1979, and took over as Chief Executive Officer of the cooperative ten years later in 1989; and
WHEREAS, during his 46-year career, Doug led the cooperative with great distinction and vision and implemented many improvements to grow the business; and
WHEREAS, those improvements included adding a propane and fuels subsidiary in 1998 as well as RidgeLink, a business-to-business dark fiber provider, both of which added jobs and vital services locally, and their success continues to help hold down member rates; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, Doug provided the leadership necessary for the cooperative to secure and manage its own wholesale power purchases rather than using outside entities, which has also benefitted members by helping hold down rates due to more favorable wholesale power cost; and
WHEREAS, Blue Ridge Energy is consistently ranked among the top five of all utilities across the nation for its customer service and has been recognized in the top quartile of all utilities in the nation for reliability; and
WHEREAS, Blue Ridge Energy has been a wonderful community partner and has assisted with financing City of Lenoir Fire Station 3, lighting at Mack Cook Stadium in Downtown Lenoir, has pledged financing for a new City of Lenoir fire engine, as well as numerous other projects in Caldwell County; and
WHEREAS, Douglas has announced his retirement from Blue Ridge Energy at the end of June 2025.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Joseph L. Gibbons, Mayor, on behalf of the City of Lenoir City Council and all of our citizens, do hereby congratulate Douglas Wayne Johnson on his retirement and thank him for providing reliable electricity to residents and businesses in the City of Lenoir, Caldwell County and the region.
THIS, the 18th day of March 2025.
Joseph L. Gibbons, Mayor