The Board of Directors of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation has appointed Jason Carpenter to the Caldwell District Board seat, filling a vacancy left by the passing of Jeff Joines earlier this year. Carpenter officially began his duties on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The announcement of his appointment was made on September 28, 2026, from Lenoir, North Carolina.
Carpenter is set to complete the remainder of a three-year term for the seat, which commenced on June 24, 2025, and is scheduled to run through June 2028. This appointment aligns with the Cooperative's Bylaws, specifically Article III Section 3.09, which mandates that the Board of Directors appoint a replacement director whenever one or more years remain in an open seat's term. Furthermore, the Board adhered to all Bylaw requirements concerning director qualifications as outlined in Article III Section 3.02.
A resident of the Patterson community in Caldwell County, Carpenter brings extensive professional experience to his new role. He is a Partner at Combs, Tennant & Carpenter, P.C., a professional certified public accounting firm located in Boone. His professional career spans over 22 years in public accounting, with a primary focus on tax, audit, and financial statement presentation.
Carpenter is a certified public accountant and holds memberships in both the American Institute of Public Accountants and the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. He is also recognized as a Government Audit Quality Control firm designee, underscoring his expertise in financial oversight and compliance.
His involvement with Blue Ridge Energy is not new. Carpenter previously served as a member of Blue Ridge Energy's Member Advisory Committee for the Caldwell District. During this time, he also contributed to the cooperative's Credential and Election Committee and the Nomination Committee. Additionally, he is a past member of the Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation Advisory Committee, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to the cooperative's operations and community engagement. Beyond his professional and cooperative roles, Carpenter contributes to the wider community as a Finance Committee member with the Watauga Children's Council.
Academically, Carpenter is well-qualified, holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. He also earned a second Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, specializing in Computer Information Systems.
Blue Ridge Energy operates as a member-owned electric cooperative, providing services to approximately 80,000 members across a broad region. Its service area encompasses Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Alexander, Avery, and Wilkes counties. The cooperative has also diversified its services through subsidiaries. Blue Ridge Energy Propane and Fuels offers residential and commercial services within the cooperative's service territory and beyond, maintaining showrooms in each of the cooperative's district offices. Another subsidiary, RidgeLink, focuses on telecommunications, delivering broadband and related services to businesses that provide end-use internet access to their customers.
