WYSOX — Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative welcomed two new employees to its management team and promoted two others to management positions recently.

The personnel changes resulted from retirements and organizational restructuring aimed at achieving greater operating efficiencies.

Brian Zeidner of Sugar Run has been promoted to the position of director of member services. He had previously worked as a member service field technician for the cooperative.

Zeidner is responsible for the development and implementation of programs designed to increase cooperative members’ awareness and understanding of services, products and programs offered by the cooperative.

Before joining the Claverack team in May 2005, Zeidner, had served as director of plant operations for The Highlands Care Center in LaPorte for 6 years. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he holds an associate’s degree in construction technology from the Community College of the Air Force.

Steve Allabaugh of Wyalusing has been hired as manager of technical services for both Claverack and its partner cooperative to the west, Tri-County.

A registered professional engineer, Allabaugh has over 12 years of experience in the power industry, most recently serving as substation supervisor for Penelec’s Towanda division. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology from Penn State University.

Allabaugh is responsible for providing engineering services to the cooperative, long-range planning, protective device coordination studies and implementation of new technologies.

Rick Tavares of Gillett recently began duties as manager of purchasing and facilities for Claverack and Tri-County.

Tavares has over 20 years of experience in facilities and fleet management, most recently serving as maintenance manager for Gough Holdings, a Horseheads, N.Y., property management firm. He had previously worked as facilities manager for Ocean Spray Cranberries at their corporate headquarters in Massachusetts.

In his new position, Tavares will be working to improve efficiencies in purchasing and inventory control for Claverack and Tri-County.

He holds an associate’s degree from the Stockbridge (Mass.) School of Agriculture.

Doug Nichols of Wysox has been promoted as Claverack’s manager of field operations. His duties include overseeing engineering, construction and maintenance of the cooperative’s electric lines.

Nichols, a cooperative employee for 18 years, had served as Claverack’s manager of purchasing and facilities prior to the promotion. Other positions he has held with the cooperative during his career include journeyman lineman and staking engineer.

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