Executive team

Calhoun joined Associated Electric in August 2010, bringing 24 years of experience in human resources, leadership development, talent acquisition, change management, labor relations, succession planning and organizational assessment.

Previously, Shawn was corporate director of employee relations for Bausch & Lomb Inc. in Rochester, N.Y., and worked for Baxter Healthcare's manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Miss. Shawn holds a bachelor's degree in marketing and business administration from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, as well as certifications in human resources leadership and management development.

Clark joined Associated Electric in April 2007 as director of Member Services and Corporate Communications. In January 2008, he became director of Engineering and Operations at Associated Electric.

Previously, Clark served nearly seven years as general manager and chief executive officer of Boone Electric Cooperative in Columbia, Mo., and was manager of operations and engineering with White River Valley Electric Cooperative in Branson, Mo. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Clark has a bachelor’s degree in engineering and served eight years of active military duty. He later earned a master’s degree in business administration from Drury University in Springfield, Mo.

Lazzaro joined Associated Electric in 2003, was promoted to manager in 2010, managing director in 2018 and vice president in April 2022. His 19-year career with Associated has included leadership of energy systems, solutions engineering, enterprise product management operations model and most recently developments of the SEEM energy market platform.

Lazzaro earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Pensacola Christian College in 2002 and a master’s of business administration from Drury University in 2005. He achieved an advanced certificate for executives from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Business in 2022.

Prestwood joined Associated Electric Cooperative in January 2013 as corporate and compliance counsel. In 2015, he was appointed chief compliance officer and provides legal and compliance counsel for Associated in a range of business affairs that affect the cooperative systems. In 2023, Prestwood assumed the lead role of Energy Risk Management and was promoted to senior vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer.

Prestwood graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish literature and a Bachelor of Science degree in radio, television and film. In 2005, Prestwood received his Juris Doctor from Texas Tech Law School in Lubbock, Texas. Before joining Associated, he worked seven years in Austin as an energy lawyer for the state of Texas and in private practice.

Meredith joined Associated in 2004, was promoted to controller in 2008 and then to vice president and controller in 2019. She was named senior vice president and chief financial officer Oct. 1, 2021. 

Meredith's 17-year career with Associated has included leadership of financial reporting and analysis, accounting and budgeting and resource planning. She has played an integral role in developing strategies and implementing tactics to maintain the financial strength and flexibility of the cooperative.

Prior to joining Associated, Meredith, a certified public accountant, worked as a supervisor for BKD CPA & Advisors, a top 15 accounting and consulting firm in the nation. She started her career with Ernst & Young, one of the largest professional services networks in the world. 

She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Missouri State University and a master’s in business administration from Drury University.

Thompson joined Associated Electric in July 2017 as senior vice president and chief risk officer, bringing 30 years of energy industry experience to lead and establish the cooperative’s Energy Risk Management Division. He was promoted to his current role as senior vice president and chief operations officer in 2023.

Prior to Associated, Thompson was vice president of business development and customer services at ACES, a nationwide, member-owned energy management company based in Carmel, Indiana. He also served as director of natural gas trading and vice president of portfolio management during his 16 years with ACES. His career includes director of NE Trading & Storage with Williams Energy Marketing and Trading, as well as positions with PG&E Trading and Energy Services, Gasco Inc., Industrial Energy Services Co. and Halliburton.

Thompson is professionally certified as a Commodity Trade Advisor by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He holds a bachelor’s degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University and a Master of Business Administration from West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Wilkinson joined Associated Electric Cooperative’s Information Services Division in 1998 and has led its Member Services and Corporate Communications Division since 2008.

His responsibilities focus on informing and involving Associated’s member-owners and the six G&Ts and 51 distribution cooperatives that make up the three-tiered system. Wilkinson oversees member and employee communications and relationships, member programs and educational materials, media relations, and the Take Control & Save energy efficiency and Power 4 Progress economic development programs.

Previously, Wilkinson was a senior database consultant for a firm building database solutions for Fortune 500 companies. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Purdue University.