Shadd McLochlin has been with Miami-Cass REMC and Broadway Broadband for nearly seven years and now steps into a new leadership role at the cooperative and its subsidiary.
McLochlin started with Broadway Broadband in 2018 while still in college. At that time, he did physical installations of wireless internet in customers’ homes. When the electric cooperative purchased Broadway early in 2020, he began doing fiber construction along with maintaining the wireless network.
While he enjoyed the physical aspect of the job, he shared with Broadway Broadband’s new owners that he wanted to eventually move into a managerial position that utilized the degrees he was pursuing. In February 2021, he was moved to broadband tech support. His experience in both installation and construction served him well in that role.
Not long after, McLochlin was promoted in August 2021 as Broadway Broadband’s installation/scheduling manager. That job entailed planning the growth of the subsidiary and overseeing around 10 employees. The subsidiary now has 2,000-plus customers in a six county area.
McLochlin earned a double major in business management and marketing. This month, he will graduate with his master’s degree in public management — a degree similar to an MBA, but geared toward nonprofit operations.
With his extensive experience and background, McLochlin was recently promoted to director of sales and member services at Miami-Cass REMC where he will be handling all member services and sales related tasks at the REMC and at Broadway Broadband.
tell us a little bit about your new role and what it entails?
My new role entails handling all member services related tasks at the REMC which include marketing, events, public relations, handling complaints, key accounts, etc. The sales part of the job is geared toward Broadway Broadband. I will be overseeing the sales and marketing of the company and handling most large business accounts/contracts.
How does your experience in previous roles help you in this new position?
I have been constantly interacting with the customers/members on both the internet and the electric side for over six years. I feel I can handle any situation or question that gets thrown my way.
What do you enjoy most about working at the co-op?
The part that I enjoy most about working at the co-op is that we are all working toward a common goal while always staying focused on our members/customers.
What’s something unique about our co-op culture that helps drive success?
The co-op culture is different from most other businesses because we are so member focused. Putting the members first in all decisions that we make and doing everything we can to provide the best service possible to them is the priority.
Any advice for others in the company who might be looking to grow or transition into new roles?
My advice for others in the company that are looking to grow or transition into new roles would be to never turn down an opportunity to learn. Those opportunities can be found both inside and outside of the company. College and other professional development courses or events are great, but I gained a lot of knowledge and experience by taking on as many tasks as I could handle and always being willing to help.
