When someone at Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC) needs information, there is a good chance Chris Peterson can help find it. With experience across several areas of the cooperative, Chris has developed a broad understanding of how UEC’s operations work together to serve its members.
Today, he brings that experience to his role as Power Supply Analyst, which he began in August 2026.
Chris’s journey to UEC began long before his career in the electric utility industry. Born in Lima, Peru, he came to the United States as a child and lived in several communities before being adopted in Hermiston in 1993. After reconnecting with members of his biological family and spending time in California, he eventually returned to the Northwest, where he met his wife, and found his way back to Hermiston.
Before joining UEC, Chris spent five years at Banner Bank, beginning as a teller in Hermiston before moving into supervisory and operations roles. He discovered that he enjoyed learning processes, understanding how systems worked and taking on new responsibilities, interests that would eventually lead him to UEC.
Over the years, Chris has served as a Member Service Representative, Billing Clerk, Member Services Supervisor and Technical Administrative Assistant. Each position provided a different perspective and helped him build a strong understanding of the cooperative and the many ways departments work together. His new role as Power Supply Analyst builds on that experience. Chris works with information and analysis that support UEC’s power supply operations, bringing together his knowledge of the cooperative’s systems, processes and needs.
One of the projects that stands out most in his career was the Advanced Metering Infrastructure implementation for Hermiston Energy Services. The project gave Chris an opportunity to work with people across many areas of the organization and demonstrated just how interconnected the cooperative’s operations are.
Chris credits much of his growth to being willing to learn from experience. He views challenges and mistakes as opportunities to better understand a process and find a way to improve.
While the work keeps him engaged, Chris says the people he has met throughout his career are among the things he values most about UEC. His experiences moving between communities and roles have given him an appreciation for strong relationships and the importance of working together.
Much of Chris’s work happens behind the scenes, but the information he analyzes and the support he provides contribute to UEC’s daily operations and its ability to serve members. As he begins this next chapter as Power Supply Analyst, Chris brings years of experience, curiosity and a commitment to continued learning to his work at UEC.