Kathy Viehe, Gainesville Regional Utilities’ assistant general manager for customer support services, has been appointed interim general manager for GRU pending acceptance of contractual terms. She replaces Bob Hunzinger, who recently resigned after more than five years of service.
Viehe will assume the interim general manager role at 5 p.m. on November 15, 2013.
“It’s an honor to serve in this interim role knowing the strength of the team we have in place, and we will continue to emphasize excellent service and reliability for our customers,” Viehe said. “In my more than 17 years of service with GRU, I have worked with some of the smartest and most dedicated employees in the industry. They work hard each and every day for our customers.”
Following a nationwide search, Viehe was named GRU’s director of corporate communications in 1996 and eventually became assistant general manager for customer support services in 2006. In this role, she oversaw customer and employee communications, energy and water conservation, marketing and sales, customer operations, and purchasing and stores. Viehe has been a leader in developing products and services to help customers better manage their utilities, including the implementation of numerous energy and water conservation programs, billing and payment options, and customized services for some of GRU’s largest customers.
Viehe has more than 27 years of experience in the utility industry in Tennessee and Florida and has shared her knowledge through speaking engagements on multiple utility topics. She previously served as chair of the Customer Connections Section of the American Public Power Association, which represents more than 2,000 municipal utilities throughout the United States.
Viehe holds a Master of Arts degree in Corporate Communications and has been an active participant and leader in many professional organizations at both the national and state levels.
