Executive Board Members
Our Executive Board works to keep CREA in alignment with its mission of promoting and supporting community-scale renewable energy, while keeping abreast with any state or federal issues affecting community renewables.With an interweaving of county government officials and owners/operators of small energy projects, our Executive Board brings a variety of administrative and experience-based knowledge to form a detailed, panoramic vision of what community projects need in order to thrive. All members of our executive team have current or past involvement with other renewable energy/economic development themed organizations.
Les Perkins, Executive Board Chair
Les Perkins is a commissioner for Hood River County. Currently in his 5th elected term representing rural Hood River Valley, Les focuses on natural resource issues, specifically forestry and water. He serves on the Hood River County Energy Council and is General Manager of Farmers Irrigation District in Hood River.
Ormand Hilderbrand, Executive Board Vice-Chair
Ormand Hilderbrand is President and owner of Patu Wind Farm, a 9 MW project, located in Wasco, Oregon. He has overseen operations of Patu since its emergence in 2005. He was formerly the General Manager for Oregon Trail Wind Farm in Walla Walla, Washington. Ormand has an extensive background in business development, engineering and wind energy technology, as well as on-ground, continuous experience with state and federal policy in relation to community-scale renewable energy projects. He holds a BS in Agronomy/Soils from Oregon State University.
Steve Uffleman, Treasurer
Steven Uffleman serves on Prineville City Council as the Council President. He was appointed to the City Council in 1985, where he served 4 terms as mayor. He has served on the Crook County Parks and Recreation Budget Committee. Steve has also served on the Oregon Mayor's Association. He holds a BA in Pharmacy from Oregon State University and worked as a pharmacist at Pioneer Memorial Hospital form 28 years. Steve is an ordained minister of the Episcopal Church.
Don Russell
Don Russell sits on the County Commission of Morrow County. A businessman within his community, he has also been active with the Association of Oregon Counties, serving on the Transportation Committee. He has also served on the Port of Morrow Commission. He has an active interest in renewables and the economic opportunities they can provide for communities in rural Oregon.
Commissioner Pat Shannon
Commissioner Pat Shannon sits on Gilliam County Court. Gilliam County has come to be known as a renewable energy capital of the state and even the world, due to the amount of wind energy produced within its borders. While the wind farms are not community-scale, Gilliam County (alongside Morrow and Sherman Counties), used CREA to negotiate Strategic Investment Program opportunities in which a percentage of the capital on power generated is relegated to the county itself for a number of years.
Judge Joe Dabulskis
Joe Dabulskis sits as the Judge of the Sherman County Court. He is a farmer and long-time resident of the county.
Don Coats
Don Coats served as CREA's Executive Committee Chair from January, 2011 - December 2018. We are most grateful for his continuing service. He is a retired wheat farmer with a keen knowledge of and interest in PURPA and other policy that supports Qualifying Facilities and renewable energy development.