AULANDER – JULY 24, 2022 – Roanoke Electric Cooperative is pleased to announce that Derrick Buffaloe has joined its team as its vice president of innovation and technology. In this role, Buffaloe will be responsible for identifying areas of improvement and value while also evaluating disruptive industry trends and identifying ways to revolutionize product offerings, technology capabilities, and customer-center service models.
Buffaloe will provide direction on what emerging technologies should be assimilated, integrated, and introduced within the organization to ensure an effective response to the emerging needs of the business strategy.
“I am confident that Derrick will serve as a transformational executive and critical business partner to the co-op’s Executive Leadership team,” said Marshall Cherry, the co-op’s President and CEO. “He brings a current knowledge and future vision of leveraging information and technology in business model design, business process re-engineering, product and service development, and overall service excellence.”
Buffaloe has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of web hosting, IT infrastructure, business transformation, application integration, and systems management. Prior to joining the Roanoke team as a consultant in 2020, he joined the ranks of Senior Technical Staff Members at IBM. As a STSM, Derrick was a consultant to senior management and was responsible for providing technical leadership and guidance in critical situations, operating system platforms, infrastructure devices, and overall architecture.
As an executive, Derrick guided the construction, development, implementation, and delivery of technology solutions and infrastructure for IBM Global Technology Services. Throughout his career at IBM, he served as a technical advisor and partner to executives, including C-level Executives at major global organizations within the financial, automotive, telecom, retail, and energy sectors, and managed internationally distributed project teams.
About Roanoke Electric Cooperative:
Roanoke Electric Cooperative provides service to 14,500 members in Bertie, Hertford, Halifax, Northampton, Gates, Perquimans and Chowan counties. Chartered in 1938 to provide light and power to farms, the co-op today serves as an engine of economic development and provides educational, recreational and community assistance services to enhance the quality of life of its member-owners throughout the diverse communities it serves. Roanoke Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
About Roanoke Connect Holdings, LLC:
Roanoke Connect, an initiative spearheaded by Roanoke Connect Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Roanoke Electric Cooperative, is building their broadband network to provide high-speed internet to Bertie, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, and Northampton counties in North Carolina. Roanoke Connect offers residential and business customers broadband internet, voice services, and smart grid energy efficiency capabilities. Living a fully connected and enhanced quality of life is Roanoke Connect’s commitment to the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.RoanokeConnect.com.