New to BARC Electric Cooperative, Bill Buchanan brings 30 years of cooperative leadership experience to the team. Bill is a strong proponent of the cooperative principles, especially principle #7 – Concern for Community, which puts community and member issues at the top of his priority list.

A graduate of Western Illinois University, the University of Missouri’s Graduate Institute for Cooperative Leadership, Stanford University’s professional certification in Energy Innovation, and an MBA from Quantic University, Bill brings a strong aptitude for innovation, strategy and operations, as well as extensive knowledge of the cooperative business model. He has served as president and board member of both the Illinois and Colorado rural telecommunications associations as well as the Western Telecommunications Alliance. In addition to serving at the industry level, he works in collaboration with other local leaders bringing value to area business and economic development organizations through his long history of serving on local chamber and economic development boards.

Bill and his wife, Malloree, have two grown sons, Tyler and Tanner. As a fun fact, he holds his certification as an open water scuba instructor for PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) allowing him to share his passion for scuba diving with others.