John Mertlich selected as Grant PUD's new GM
BY RANDY BRACHT
EPHRATA – Grant County PUD commissioners on Tuesday appointed John Mertlich as the utility district’s next general manager and chief executive officer.
Mertlich, who assumed his new role on Wednesday, has worked for the PUD since 2019, initially joining the district as senior manager for financial planning and analysis. He succeeds outgoing general manager/CEO Rich Wallen, who announced his pending resignation last month to join a Georgia-based energy company, Oglethorpe Power.
Wallen’s last day at Grant PUD is March 27 and he will be working with Mertlich in the interim to ensure a smooth transition of duties, said district officials.
In a press statement Tuesday, PUD commission president Terry Pyle said Mertlich has “diligently” served the district in several capacities, most recently as chief commercial officer.
“We are confident in his ability to lead our organization forward while upholding our values and commitment to excellence,” said Pyle.
Mertlich, in turn, expressed his appreciation to Wallen for his service in the general manager/CEO role.
“For Grant PUD customers, the great world-class service that we provide will continue,” Mertlich said in the press statement. “Our mission continues to focus on delivering electric power and fiber-optic service safely, efficiently, and reliably to our customers.”
Mertlich will oversee an organization with about 850 employees and a $312.2 million operating budget in 2025.
PUD commissioners acted quickly in selecting a new general manager/chief executive officer, foregoing an external search for potential candidates and instead focusing on internal personnel for the appointment. Mertlich will be the fifth person since 2012 to serve as Grant PUD’s GM/CEO.
“Personally, I have great gratitude for the trust and faith shown to me by the commission,” said Mertlich. “I’m honored to have been chosen. I feel the gravitas of the position as the steward of the PUD’s business. I am very excited for the challenges and opportunities in-front of us.”
Since late 2023, he has assembled and led the district’s energy supply management business unit as the chief commercial officer, focusing on energy resources to meet Grant County's growing demand for electricity, according to the PUD.
Mertlich has worked in the utility sector for over 20 years. Before coming to Grant PUD, he spent 15 years at PacifiCorp, an electric power company based in Portland, Oregon, where his responsibilities included technical forecasting and budgeting, financial performance reporting, and serving as an advisor across various financial planning activities.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Mertlich holds dual bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and economics and a master’s degree in economics from Portland State University. He and his wife, Viva, live in Wenatchee. They have three children.
PUD commissioners expect to finalize an employment contract with Mertlich next week that likely will include salary compensation and benefits.
In a resolution adopted last May by commissioners, Wallen was receiving a biweekly salary of $17,308, or about $450,000 annually.
PUD commissioners accepted Wallen’s resignation last month during their Feb. 11 meeting. He accepted a job with Georgia-based Oglethorpe Power as their executive vice president and chief operating officer beginning March 31. Wallen, who is from West Virginia, came to Grant PUD from Oglethorpe in 2017, and the return provides him an opportunity to be closer to family on the East Coast, officials said.
