Jeremy Montgomery seems to be a natural fit for his role as Energy Advisor for Parke County REMC. That’s even what one of his friends thought! As a carpenter and owner of his own home inspection business prior to his role as Energy Advisor, his experience tailored him to be able to best help the retail members he now supports.

How’d you become an Energy Advisor?
A friend called me and said, “You have got to look at Parke County REMC. They are hiring and the job description reminds me of you!” I did, and everything came together!

What’d you do before?
I was a journeyman Carpenter; Union Local 859 out of Greencastle, Indiana. I also had a business doing home inspections at the time.

What’s the last hobby you picked up?
The most recent hobby has been Kayaking. We fish a little and cruse around the lake/creek a little. It has been great being in the quiet.

What’s the best vacation you ever had?
My wife and I were lucky enough to have gone to Barcelona, Spain in fall 2017. We spent much of our time on the beaches of the Mediterranean or in the Gothic quarter of the old city.

If you could switch lives with a person for one day, who would it be?
I would probably switch with my 6-year-old son. He has a blast all day long!

In a world without electricity, what would you miss most?
I have answered this question before and I think my answer is still the same: I would really miss my dishwasher.

What’s the best thing that happened to you yesterday?
My wife and I finalized our plans for a remodeled bathroom with complete agreement.

How’d you change your energy habits at home after you took this job?
Rather than do without, I changed what I would purchase. Instead of sitting in the dark, we changed to LED lights; rather than be uncomfortable in our home, we added insulation and more efficient conditioning equipment.

What’s the number one thing members want to know?
What is in their house that costs them money and is it worth the cost?

What’s the number one thing you wish they knew?
That the cost to safely produce, distribute, deliver, meter and maintain an electrical grid in the hardest to reach places at the current rate is impressive.

If you weren’t an Energy Advisor, what would you be?
I would likely still be a Home Inspector.