John Burke of Cecil County Elected Board Chair

John J. Burke of Warwick in Cecil County, MD was elected Chairman of the Choptank Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. John has served on the Board representing members in Cecil County for 15 years. John also represents Choptank on the Board of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC).

Choptank provides electric service to more than 3,000 locations in southern Cecil County and 57,000 across the Eastern Shore. Its subsidiary, Choptank Fiber, has recently become available and provided high speed internet to rural underserved communities in southern Cecil County and across the Eastern Shore.

ODEC produces and supplies electricity for Choptank and is also the operator of Wildcat Point, located near Conowingo in Cecil County. Wildcat Point is the cleanest natural gas facility of its size in Maryland.

On becoming Chairman of the Choptank Board, John said, “I look forward to advancing the broadband and energy resource needs of members in accordance with the cooperative’s mission.”

The Cooperative mission is what makes Choptank and ODEC so responsive to its member-customers. The members own the business and elect the Board of Directors. All profits are returned to the members in the form of capital credits. The goal of an electric cooperative is to provide reliable, safe and economically priced energy for its members. Historically, electric cooperatives served the most rural customers across the country, building infrastructure where for-profit electric companies would not serve.

The Cooperative is responsive to the needs of its members. John helped Choptank start its broadband subsidiary in 2021 because 40% of members on the rural Eastern Shore had no access to high-speed internet. Using the construction expertise and existing fiber backbone necessary to communicate between electric substations in its territory, Choptank has offered broadband service to almost 15,000 previously unserved locations.

“John works to make sure both Choptank and ODEC are addressing the energy needs of members while keeping affordability in mind,” explains Mike Malandro, President and CEO of Choptank. “He is active in the community and brings an important perspective to our cooperative.”

John is also an Associate Broker for Gunther McClary Real Estate, with offices in Cecilton and Rock Hall, conducting real estate brokerage primarily in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's counties. John is a member of the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce and he has served on non-profit boards in Kent and Cecil counties with business, school, and community service focus.

About Choptank Electric Cooperative: Choptank Electric, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, is a nonprofit member-owned electric distribution co-op located on Maryland's Eastern Shore serving over 57,000 meters. Choptank Electric Cooperative exists to provide reliable and cost-effective electricity that improves the quality of life for our members. For more information, visit our website at choptankelectric.coop or call our Member Service Center at 1.877.892.0001.