Peninsula Light welcomes new chief business officer

As part of a restructuring of Peninsula Light Company’s senior management team, the nonprofit electric cooperative announced last week the hire of John Shepherd as its new chief business officer.

In this newly created position, Shepherd will play an integral role in achieving the organization’s core purpose of continually improving quality of life for its members and fulfilling its values of integrity, innovation, respect and dedication.

“John will provide transformational leadership during a pivotal period of innovation in the energy industry,” Jafar Taghavi, CEO of Peninsula Light Company, said in a release.

Most recently, Shepherd served as president and CEO of Auburn-based OmniFAB, a diversified manufacturer of engineering solutions for a wide range of industries.

“We are excited about John’s role at Pen Light, knowing he will help achieve our goals of reliability, member satisfaction, and maintaining economical electric rates,” Taghavi said.

Shepherd, who was raised on Vashon Island and attended Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, holds two master’s degrees, including an MBA from the University of Washington, and a master’s in Public Administration from Seattle University. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s College in Northern California.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Peninsula Light welcomes new chief business officer."