Bill Stamm has worked for Alaska Village Electric Cooperative in Anchorage since he moved to The Last Frontier 30 years ago. He started out as a laborer and currently serves as the co-op’s president and CEO. Growing up in a construction family, Stamm learned a variety of trade skills before he earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and started his career working for an architectural and engineering firm. Stamm is a licensed professional engineer and graduate of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Management Internship Program. He joined the NWPPA Board of Trustees in May.

What are the current challenges at your utility?
Serving 58 remote isolated communities in Alaska—only one of which is accessible by road—logistics, communications, and weather will always be challenges for AVEC.  Beyond that, the cost of fuel, the cost of equipment, and the development and maintenance of a skilled and experienced workforce remain high on the list.

What do you see as the current challenges in the industry?
Transitioning to lower-carbon distributed generation and the care and feeding of ever-increasing digital/electronic infrastructure.  In addition to the specter of cybersecurity threats that come with greater connectivity, the replacement of costly digital infrastructure occurs at a much higher rate than more traditional assets.

How does NWPPA help your utility and the industry with these challenges?
The educational resource at NWPPA allows AVEC employees to broaden their knowledge, improving their confidence and their enjoyment in their jobs.  Having a network of industry professionals at hand to help navigate challenges and compare notes with is invaluable.

Any hobbies outside of the public power world?
I have an escape pod in the form of an ‘86 VW Westfalia that lets me get out of the “big city” to base camp at the edge of the Alaska wilderness, which I like to explore by foot, bike, skis, and boat with my wife, dog, friends, or two adult kids—if they have the time.