Blue Ridge Energy
Renee Walker has a diverse work experience in public relations and communications. Renee started their career as a Reporter for Hickory Daily Record in 1987 and then worked as a Public Relations Coordinator at The Edge in 1989. From 1990 to 1997, they were a Public Relations Coordinator and Account Executive at Bradford Communications, where they handled various clients in different industries. In 1997, Renee joined Frye Regional Medical Center as the Director of Public Relations, responsible for strategic planning and oversight of public relations, advertising, and marketing activities. Renee also served as the primary spokesperson for media inquiries and assisted with community relations. In 1998, Renee became the Director of Public Relations at Blue Ridge Energy.
Renee Walker obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications/Broadcasting from Appalachian State University, where they studied from 1984 to 1987. Later, in 2006 to 2007, they participated in the NRECA Management Internship Program (MIP) offered by the School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in collaboration with The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Blue Ridge Energy
Blue Ridge Energy encompasses the electric cooperative (Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp) and our wholly-owned propane and fuels subsidiary (Blue Ridge Energies, LLC). Coming together as an integrated company in 2016 under the market name of Blue Ridge Energy, we are a comprehensive, innovative energy solutions source for our members and consumers. The parent company remains a member-owned electric cooperative serving some 74,000 member accounts in northwest North Carolina and we are affiliated with Touchstone Energy. Our propane and fuels subsidiary serves over 20,000 residential and commercial customers from Catawba County, NC, to Independence, Va. With headquarters in Lenoir, Blue Ridge Energy has showrooms, service and operations offices for electric, propane and fuels consumers located in Lenoir, Boone, West Jefferson, and Sparta, NC. Offices serving propane and fuels consumers are also located in Morganton, NC, and Independence, Va. A second subsidiary, RidgeLink, LLC, is a business-to-business company offering dark fiber to national companies needing middle mile and long-haul capacity for data, voice and video services.