Paulding Putnam Grows Team as Fiber & Electric Services Expand
Paulding Putnam is welcoming two new members of its management team: Erika Willitzer, Vice President of Strategic Engagement and External Affairs, and Bobby Armentrout, Sr. Director of Technology and Network Operations. Their arrival caps a year of hiring that has added five more employees across the cooperative.
The new team members come as Paulding Putnam expands on two fronts: electric and fiber service. The co-op has constructed more than 1,000 miles of mainline fiber across Paulding, Putnam and Van Wert counties in Ohio and has begun building in Allen County, Indiana. At the same time, it continues to deliver reliable electric service to nearly 14,000 members across seven counties in northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana, as it has since 1935.
The new hires are also part of Paulding Putnam’s succession planning ahead of a leadership transition in January 2027, when General Manager and CEO Randy Price retires and Chief Operating Officer Nick Eltzroth becomes the cooperative’s next CEO.
“Every person we’ve added or transitioned into a new role this year is an investment in our members and the communities we serve,” said Randy Price, President and CEO of Paulding Putnam. “Erika and Bobby bring the experience to help us grow, and our newest linemen, installers and staff are the people who will keep the lights on and the network connected for years to come.”
Erika Willitzer, Vice President of Strategic Engagement and External Affairs
Erika Willitzer returns to Paulding Putnam with a track record of bringing major investment to northwest Ohio. For the past six years, she served as Executive Director of Defiance County Economic Development, where she and community partners secured more than $2.5 billion in private investment and created more than 1,900 new, high-paying jobs. That work included First Quality Tissue, the largest single investment in Defiance County’s history, a billion-dollar project now under construction.
Willitzer previously worked at Paulding Putnam in marketing, member services and economic development. In her new role, she will focus on growth, leading economic development, government relations, member engagement, and marketing and communications for the cooperative’s electric and fiber internet operations.
“I’m excited to bring people and ideas together to create meaningful growth across both the electric and internet sides of the organization,” she said.
Bobby Armentrout, Sr. Director of Technology and Network Operations
Bobby Armentrout brings more than 25 years of experience in telecommunications, broadband engineering, construction, network operations and technology leadership. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Technology at Home Telecom in South Carolina, where he led large fiber deployments, network expansions and operational improvement initiatives.
At Paulding Putnam, Armentrout will lead technology strategy, broadband engineering, construction, network operations, GIS and vendor relationships, while ensuring the co-op’s technology infrastructure supports a reliable, secure electric grid.
“This is an opportunity to improve reliability, create strong processes, and build systems that will serve the cooperative and its members well into the future,” Armentrout said.
Internal transitions
Renee Hull, of Paulding, has transitioned from Chief Financial Officer to Chief Financial & Risk Officer. In her new role, she will continue overseeing accounting, billing and purchasing while taking on an expanded focus on legal and regulatory matters. Renee has worked at the co-op for more than two years, with previous experience in accounting roles at OmniSource, Allison Payment Systems, and National Door and Trim.
Tara Schlatter, of Paulding, has been promoted to Director of Networking and Business Solutions, where she will oversee networking, IT, GIS mapping, and business solutions software. This alignment brings together many of the systems and technology functions that support nearly every area of the co-op. Tara has nearly 20 years of experience at Paulding Putnam, working in various departments including billing, accounting, member service, and data analysis.
Growing the team
Other recent hires in 2026 include:
• Jesse Lammers of Leipsic, Ohio; Apprentice Lineman
• Dakota Burke of Edgerton, Ohio; Apprentice Lineman
• Austin Puckett of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Broadband Installer
• Gavin Huff of Continental, Ohio; Engineering Intern
• Keith Kimmet of Cloverdale, Ohio; Facilities Assistant
As a member-owned cooperative, every investment Paulding Putnam makes, from fiber miles to new team members, is made for the people and communities it serves. The co-op’s growth means more local jobs, faster internet in rural areas, and a strong electric system ready for the decades ahead.
More information about each new employee and the co-op can be found online at www.PPEC.coop.
