Matthew Williams | 1979-2024
Grand Valley Power is mourning the passing of a great friend and important leader of our organization. Matt Williams, GVP’s Chief Operating Officer, passed away on October 15 at the age of 45. Matt had been part of the Grand Valley Power team for almost 19 years.
After graduating at the top of his class from Montezuma-Cortez High School, Matt earned an engineering degree at Colorado State University. He returned to Cortez to work for Empire Electric Association for several years. He arrived at Grand Valley Power in 2005, accepting a position as Staff Engineer.
Within a few short years Matt had earned a reputation as Grand Valley Power’s resident problem solver. Under the tutelage of Engineering Manager Steve Don, Matt mastered the fundamentals of electric distribution system engineering. He had a knack for finding cost effective ways to modernize and automate GVP’s system, one step at a time. He matured quickly. When the time was right for GVP to invest in enhanced metering — the biggest technological upgrade in the cooperative’s history — Matt was there to manage the project.
Once a reticent and reserved technician who didn’t want to be anywhere near the Grand Valley Power boardroom or CEO’s office, he challenged himself, first to be a vocal contributor, and then a bold leader. He continued his ascent up GVP’s version of the corporate ladder, first as Engineering Manager, and then as Chief Operating Officer.
Matt’s analytical abilities played a big part in the development of GVP’s innovative time-of-use rates. Again, once the decision was made and it was time to put everything into motion, he stepped up to lead the implementation of the new rates, making sure that all details were addressed across multiple functions and departments. His success only fueled his fire.
Managing many aspects of GVP’s wholesale power contract with Xcel, Matt had broadened his knowledge and experience on power supply and transmission matters. When the Grand Valley Power board decided to examine the cooperative’s power supply options in detail, Matt was there to provide his analysis and input. Board members will tell you that Matt’s contributions to the discussion played a critical part in decisions to terminate power purchases from Xcel and sign on with Guzman Energy.
Without pausing to catch his breath, Matt moved on to the next challenge. Even though he had no knowledge or experience in the world of grant writing, Matt recognized that GVP and its members would reap millions of dollars in benefits if we could take advantage of growing funding opportunities available at the state and federal level. He jumped in and became the driving force in multiple successful grant applications that will benefit GVP members for decades to come.
Matt’s drive to overcome challenges was one of his defining characteristics. When you see the way he approached his work life, it is no surprise that he was driven the same way outside work: climbing towering peaks, carving paths through deep canyons, and navigating wild rivers — always exploring the beauty of the world and the richness of life. And just as he did at Grand Valley Power, he brought others along, inspiring them and leading them every step of the way.
Matt’s departure leaves a tremendous void for family and friends, and for his fellow team members at Grand Valley Power. Maybe there is a kind of symmetry to it: that this young man who excelled at solving problems, at surmounting challenges, leaves tough problems and big challenges for us. We’re left with no choice but to follow his example and take on these problems and challenges the way he would have. We’ll do our best, but it will not be the same. We will all miss Matt.