PAHRUMP, Nev. – In an effort to provide ongoing communication and transparency for community members across its service territory, Valley Electric Association, Inc. (VEA), a member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Pahrump, announced it has hired two new marketing employees, Marketing and Media Relations Representative Thomas Moore and Community Relations Representative Cassandra Selbach. Both positions are new to VEA.
VEA has hired a total of 10 new employees since January 2014 to accommodate the cooperative’s continued growth. In 2013, VEA increased its number of employees by approximately 20 percent.
In his new role, Moore is responsible for communicating with the communities VEA serves, members of the media and the general public. He plays a significant role in the development of marketing and public relations materials and campaigns for VEA. His duties include providing support during major power outages; assisting in the writing and production of materials, including newsletters, advertisements and VEA’s Ruralite magazine; preparing and presenting informative programs during member and public meetings; and managing VEA’s website and social media presence, in addition to many other areas of responsibility.
Prior to joining VEA, Moore most recently served as a web developer with NV Energy, where he administered, wrote and edited content for internal and external websites, in addition to rebuilding and rebranding the company’s corporate website. He previously worked as a webmaster for Sierra Pacific Resources and served as a communications analyst for Nevada Power.
Moore also built a successful career as an award-winning reporter. His journalism background includes working as a freelance writer, in addition to serving as a business reporter for the Las Vegas Business Press and a police reporter for the Henderson Home News. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications and political science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
As community relations representative, Selbach is responsible for communicating with community members across VEA’s service territory. This includes maintaining and developing relationships with cooperative members, Ambassadors and key accounts. She also assists in the planning and execution of the VEA Ambassador Program and its committees. Selbach shares several of Moore’s duties and is also tasked with a variety of unique responsibilities, such as working in collaboration with local economic development agencies to attract new businesses and industries to the area.
Selbach has been a member of the VEA Ambassador Program since 2014. Prior to joining VEA as an employee, Selbach served as executive director of the Nye County Regional Economic Development Authority, where she worked closely with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development to foster economic development activity in Nye County. She is also the owner of a local business, Quality Signs & Banners in Pahrump. Her work history includes serving as marketing director with Citizens for Affordable Homes in Pahrump, where her accomplishments included building a self-help affordable housing program in Nye County and rural Clark County.
Selbach has chaired a variety of community organizations and events, including the Public Lands Alliance of Southern Nevada, Bob Baker’s Wild West Extravaganza and Bluegrass Festival, the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Program and the Relay for Life Publicity Committee.
“VEA recognizes that focused marketing efforts play an important role in keeping community members informed and engaged,” said Chris Brooks, executive vice president of energy services with VEA. “Thomas and Cassandra offer valuable expertise, and we look forward to working alongside them to develop and implement a wide variety of successful marketing efforts that support VEA’s member-focused philosophy.”
About Valley Electric Association, Inc.
Valley Electric Association, Inc. (VEA) is a member-owned nonprofit electric utility headquartered in Pahrump, Nev. While VEA started as a small rural electric utility in 1965, the company now provides service to more than 45,000 people within a vast 6,800-square-mile service area located primarily along the California-Nevada border, with the majority in Nevada. VEA’s service area starts in Sandy Valley, southwest of Las Vegas, and extends north for more than 250 miles to Fish Lake Valley. For more information about VEA, please visit www.vea.coop.