A man for the membership

Cass County Electric Cooperative CEO Marshal Albright to retire after 37 years of service

Marshal Albright was destined for a career in electricity. His electrician grandfather worked alongside electric cooperatives in the 1940s to bring power to the rural homes of southeastern North Dakota. Four decades later, in 1986, a young Albright accepted a role as a load management technician at Cass County Electric Cooperative (CCEC).

“I remember the day I told my parents I got offered the job,” Albright said. “My grandpa goes, ‘That’s a good place to work,’” he added, mimicking his grandfather’s quiet pride.

After 37 years of service to CCEC, Albright will retire this April as the seventh CEO of the cooperative. He stepped into leadership in 2016 following the retirement of longtime CEO Scott Handy. Before that, Albright served as Vice President of Member and Energy Services for six years, building off his experience as a load management technician, marketing representative, marketing manager, and key accounts executive.

Albright reflected fondly on those early years in the 1990s, when visiting with local contractors, builders, and families planning new homes was his job. He would perform heat loss calculations with co-op members, helping them make the most efficient energy choices and consider incorporating electric heating and water heating into their building plans.

“Being a part of the ‘electric heat revolution’ was really gratifying. In probably 10 years, our members put in thousands of electric heating systems. We had an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives,” he said.

Although Albright has grown from his boots-on-the-ground efforts of electricity marketing to the work of future-focused strategic planning, his focus has not wavered since that first year on the job in 1986.

“It’s always been about serving our members. Every day I wake up, that’s what I still think about. I look out here,” he said, gesturing to South Fargo from his office window, “and that’s our membership. That’s what we’re here for. And I never forget that when we make decisions.”