SMECO
Jason Rutledge is an experienced IT professional currently serving as the IT Infrastructure Manager at SMECO since January 2012, where responsibilities include overseeing daily operations in data centers and managing LAN/WAN networks along with a diverse IT team. Previously, Jason held various roles, including Lead Technical Analyst and Technical Analyst focusing on network operations at SMECO, and served as a Senior Systems Administrator at PSI Pax supporting Citrix environments for NAVAIR. Jason's career also includes managing network services at Calvert Memorial Hospital and server infrastructure support at Civista Medical Center and Spherix. Jason holds a degree in Business with a focus on Marketing from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
SMECO
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative was founded in 1937. Through the Rural Electrification Administration, the co-op received a loan of $165,000 to construct 175 miles of line to serve 600 customer-members. SMECO operated a generating plant at Popes Creek, Maryland, from 1938 to 1953. SMECO has had five general managers: 1938, Forrest Coakley; 1974, Walter H. Smith; 1989, I. Wayne Swann; 2003, Austin J. Slater, Jr.; and 2020, Sonja Cox. As of January 2020, SMECO served 165,000 customers and is one of the largest electric co-ops in the country. SMECO serves all of Charles and St. Mary's counties, the southern portion of Prince George's County, and all but the northeast portion of Calvert County.