Executive-In-Residence Program
School of Technology and
Center for Clean Energy Research and Education
Eastern Illinois University
The Executive-in-Residence Program by the School of Technology and Center for Clean Energy Research Education at Eastern Illinois University is established to facilitate the interaction among industry leaders, and faculty and students in our academic disciplines. It is intended to provide students the opportunity to learn directly from accomplished leaders and practitioners in the field. The goals of the program are:
- To provide role model for students;
- To engage leaders and students on individual or team basis;
- To provide mentorship for students and faculty to develop leadership ability;
- To develop and maintain a long term collaboration between industry and academic programs in terms of insights and other resources;
Our first executive-in-residence is Kim Leftwich, who was appointed in 2017.
Biography of Kim Leftwich
Kim Leftwich is currently the President and CEO of Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Mattoon, Illinois.
A graduate of Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, he entered the U.S. Air Force, serving on active duty for 8 years. He continued his service with the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves for an additional 17 years, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. While serving, his duties included intelligence, research and development, and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare.
Following active military service, Kim joined Illinois Power Company, an electric and natural gas utility. He served in various capacities during his career there including electric and gas operations, customer service, employee relations, labor relations and marketing, culminating his career at IP as leader of one of four business groups of the company.
In 2000, following his participation in the merger of Illinois Power with Dynegy of Houston, Texas, he resigned to start and operate his own company. For the next ten years, Kim operated ICI Midwest, LLC., a hazardous materials transportation firm, specializing in fuels, chemicals, compressed gases, and other liquids with a national reach.
Kim joined Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative in April 2015. CMEC serves parts of eight counties in east central Illinois and enjoys some 9500 members. Those members are a mix of residential and farm members as well commercial and industrial business members. Kim also serves on the Board of Prairie Power, Inc., the cooperative’s generation and transmission provider, and is a member of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Services Foundation Board.
