MEA Energy Association Appoints Rich Asiyanbi as Chair of the Board of Directors

MEA Energy Association (MEA) has appointed Rich Asiyanbi, Vice President of Field Operations at Nicor Gas, as Chair of its 2025–2026 Board of Directors.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, UNITED STATES, April 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- MEA Energy Association (MEA) is proud to announce the appointment of Rich Asiyanbi as the new Chair of the Board of Directors. We also warmly welcome all officers and directors serving on the 2025–2026 MEA Board.

At the March board meeting in Naples, Florida, Outgoing Chair, Wes Ashton of Black Hills Corporation, ceremoniously passed the gavel to Asiyanbi, marking a new chapter in the board's leadership.

“I am honored by the trust that the board has placed in me and am humbled and excited to serve as the Chair of the MEA Board of Directors,” said Asiyanbi, who began his journey with Nicor Gas in 1997. “For years, MEA has executed on its mission of empowering the energy industry through education, leadership development, and industry connections. Our future is bright, and our collective efforts will, no doubt, continue the transformation of this industry.”

A graduate of Lewis University, Asiyanbi holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Administration and a master’s degree in Human Resources, Marketing, and Finance. Over his 28-year career, he has held leadership roles spanning human resources, meter reading, utility business systems, energy efficiency, customer experience, and field operations. In his current role as Vice President of Field Operations at Nicor Gas, Asiyanbi oversees core operational functions, including field service, distribution, AMI, and operations support.

Leigh Larson, President and CEO of MEA, shared his enthusiasm about the board’s new leadership: “We’re excited to welcome Rich Asiyanbi as Chair and to work with all of our new board members. Under Rich’s leadership, I’m confident MEA will continue advancing its mission to connect, educate, and inspire professionals across the energy sector.”

As Asiyanbi noted, “MEA provides the connections, platforms, and resources necessary to drive progress. I’m looking forward to the impact we’ll make together.”

MEA is pleased to introduce the 2025 board of directors, who serve from March 2025 to March 2026.

Officers (listed by role):
• Chair, Rich Asiyanbi, Vice President, Operations | Nicor Gas – Southern Company Gas – Naperville, Ill.
• 1st Vice Chair, Eric Martuscelli, Vice President, Field Operations & Customer Experience | MDU Utilities Group - Kennewick, Wash.
• 2nd Vice Chair, Nancy Conder, Director, Utility Quality | CenterPoint Energy - Evansville, Ind.
• Secretary, Leigh Larson, President & CEO | MEA Energy Association – Bloomington, Minn.
• Past Chair, Wes Ashton, Vice President, South Dakota & Wyoming Utilities | Black Hills Corporation – Rapid City, S.D.
• Appointed Director, Alicia Berger, Regional Vice President, Gas Operations | Xcel Energy - St. Paul, Minn.

Directors (listed by surname):
• Sal Arana, Vice President, Operations | WEC Energy Group - Chicago, Ill.
• Arthur Cheatham, VP & General Manager | Spire – Kansas City, Mo.
• Mayuri Farlinger, President, Interstate Power & Light, Vice President, Operations | Alliant Energy - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Carla Frieh, Vice President, Transmission & Substation Engineering | ComEd - Oak Brook Terrace, Ill.
• Karima Hasan Bey, Vice President, Gas Operations, NIPSCO/NiSource, Inc.| NiSource, Inc. - Merrillville, Ind.
• Ted Hastings, Operations Vice President - Midwest | Henkels & McCoy Shared Services - Aurora, Ill.
• Erin Inman, President & CEO | Primera Engineers - Chicago, Ill.
• Keith Johnson, Executive Vice President, Business Unit Leader - Utilities | ENTRUST Solutions Group - Linthicum Heights, Md.
• Jack Kelley, Director, Customer Engagement | Centuri Group, Inc. - Phoenix, Ariz.
• Andy Melville, Vice President, Field Service Operations | Metropolitan Utilities District – Omaha, Neb.
• Nick Nation, Sr. Vice President, Delivery | MidAmerican Energy – Des Moines, Iowa
• Mike Nelson, President | Nelson Technologies, Inc. - Eden Prairie, Minn.
• Colby Sawin, Director, North Gas Operations | Ameren Illinois Company – Collinsville, Ill.
• Chris Shellberg, Executive Director, Shared Services Field Operations | Consumers Energy - Jackson, Mich.
• Krista Shurtz, Vice President, Natural Gas & Water Operations | City Utilities of Springfield – Springfield, Mo.
• Brad Steber, Vice President, Minnesota Gas Operations | CenterPoint Energy – Minneapolis, Minn.
• Tyrome Turner, Director | DTE Energy – Detroit, Mich.
• Clifford Williams, Vice President, Safety, Training & Fleet Operations | Eversource – Berlin, Conn.

For more information about MEA, the board of directors, or our committees, please visit MEAenergy.org.

About MEA
MEA serves the people that deliver electricity and natural gas to homes and businesses. We were founded as a trade association in 1905 by distribution utilities whose vision was to improve safety and efficiency. Today, we fulfill the same purpose through education, leadership development, and industry connections. Energy delivery companies, contractors, and suppliers around the country benefit from our summits, roundtables, and webinars, 400+ online technical courses, safety assessments, evaluator training, operator qualification compliance tools, and leadership courses for field personnel.
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Leigh Larson
MEA Energy Association
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