Maryland public power utility Easton Utilities in early August announced the promotions of Julie Harvey, Lauren Lahman, and Edward “Eddie” Westerfield, III to key leadership roles in the organization.
“These advancements reflect the organization’s ongoing emphasis on strengthening internal talent with deliberate leadership development,” the utility said.
“Julie, Lauren, and Eddie have all shown exceptional dedication, leadership, and a steadfast commitment to our core values of integrity, commitment, and excellence,” stated John Horner, President and CEO of Easton Utilities. “Their promotions are a reflection of their accomplishments and our confidence in their ability to help lead our organization into the future.”
Harvey has been promoted to Manager of Human Resources, where she will oversee company policies, procedures, compensation, benefits, and legal requirements for all employees. In her new role, she will also lead recruitment efforts and payroll functions while guiding the Safety and Training department.
Harvey has over four years of experience in Human Resources, having most recently served as Supervisor of Human Resources.
She began her career at Easton Utilities as an intern in 2018 and has steadily advanced through various roles of increasing responsibility.
Lahman has been promoted to Controller, taking on responsibility for managing all accounting functions, including the preparation of financial statements and capital and operating forecasts, ensuring compliance with the Public Service Commission, Department of Energy, and other regulatory bodies, managing the company’s operating cash position, and ensuring adequate internal controls are in place.
She will also supervise the Accounting team and ensure accurate maintenance of accounts payable, project accounts, inventory, and property accounting, as well as oversee the Warehouse team to ensure alignment of warehouse operations and overall financial controls and policies.
Lahman also joined Easton Utilities in 2014 and has held various positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as Senior Staff Accountant.
Westerfield has been promoted to Manager of the Electric Department where he will oversee the Engineering, Distribution, Operations, Electrical Maintenance and Mechanical Maintenance divisions. In addition to providing collaborative leadership, he will focus on system performance and reliability, outage response time, and capital improvements.
Since joining Easton Utilities in 1999 as a tree-trimmer, Westerfield advanced through increasingly responsible roles including lineman, infrastructure inspector, and electrical engineer.
His most recent position was Supervisor of Electrical Design and Inspection where he focused on electrical operations and key projects aimed at improving and safely maintaining critical infrastructure.
He is currently playing a vital role in the many logistics associated with providing electric service to the new Shore Regional Medical Center being constructed and will continue to do so in his new role.
"These three strategic leadership roles support Easton Utilities’ commitment to professional development and operational excellence. As the organization continues to grow and evolve, Harvey, Lahman, and Westerfield’s leadership will be essential in aligning strategy with the culture and mission," the utility noted.
