CUC waiting for executive director candidate to accept offer

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is set to name a new executive director with the two-year contract now being drafted, pending a background check and drug test. Tim Berringer was chosen by the board to become the utilities’ next executive director, but he is still reviewing the terms of the contract.

CUC board vice chair Eric San Nicolas said they held the final interview yesterday at the CUC conference room at the Joeten Dandan Commercial Building. “This is the second round of interview and we have all the board.”

“The entire board, unanimously, is satisfied with the result of the interview. We’re satisfied with the outcome that’s why we decided to make him an offer. We are just hoping he would accept the offer as we are looking forward to work with him.”

CUC legal counsel James Sirok is tasked to prepare the contract where Berringer will be offered an annual salary of $155,000 for two years. “Everything is not yet final and we’re still in the negotiation process. If he accepts the offer and is hired he will have a contract for two years.”

He said that Berringer is one of the two candidates who applied for the position.

San Nicolas added the CUC board nearing to close the deal for an executive director debunks the comments made against them that they are not doing anything to fill the position.

He added that Berringer is the one vetted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as he meets the standard set by them and the CUC board. “We have not ostracized the EPA contrary to comments made by Rep. [Lorenzo I.] Deleon Guerrero.”

He said that the board is just making sure they act on what is stipulated on certain provisions in the search for the executive director. “We’ve been actively moving along. This pacifies all the critics that say we are not doing our job as a board.”

San Nicolas said the CUC board is hoping Berringer would make a decision as soon as possible so he could “become part of the that would lead the CUC in accomplishing its mission. He would be a great addition to the team in leading CUC and the CNMI move forward.”

The Iowa-native Berringer is a professional engineer and has more than 20 years of experience working in the energy industry. He is a biomedical engineering graduate from the University of Iowa.

Berringer, who was a former director of Edmond Electric in the city of Edmond in Oklahoma, has already toured some of CUC’s power plants and yesterday visited the wastewater division with acting executive director Gary Camacho.

He was also an electrical design manager with the Nebraska-based Union Pacific Railroad according to newsok.com. His previous experience also include in the field of utilities, distribution planning, power plants, rate structures, electrical studies, economic analysis, field personnel, and budgets.