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Dan Dufour, who brings experience in telecommunications and banking, has started as Southside Electric Cooperative’s (SEC) new chief financial officer.

Dufour, who grew up in Maine and has lived across America, began work at Crewe-based SEC July 13. He will oversee the “financial stewardship of the Cooperative,” including accounting, purchasing, billing, information technology and cybersecurity.

“We are excited for Dan and his family. Team SEC has just landed a proven financial leader who will work hard for Southside Virginia,” said Jason Loehr, SEC’s president and chief executive officer.

The 59-year-old Dufour comes to SEC after leading banking, operations and business intelligence organizations in the telecommunications and financial services industries. 

“Having worked in different industries, I found there are a lot more similarities than differences,” Dufour said. “Here at SEC, there are a lot of similarities with the broadband industry, including availability, reliability and if the service goes out, how quickly will it be restored.”

Dufour knows that Southside Electric Cooperative members expect reliable service and to have any power outages restored as safely and quickly as possible.

“I like the Cooperative’s focus on its members,” he said about one of the things that attracted him to SEC. 

For Dufour, focusing on the members not only means providing them with safe, reliable and affordable electricity but investing in their communities to bring an overall benefit to their lives.

And not only the members but also SEC’s employees. Although at the Cooperative only a brief time, Dufour said he has seen employees’ sense of responsibility and their dedication to the members, the community and each other.

“They know what the impact of their work is on the members and their fellow employees. They are willing to put in the extra work and the long hours, and they enjoy it too.”

Dufour likes the area SEC serves, saying it reminds him of where he grew up in Maine, with its farms, small businesses and strong sense of community. He knew about Virginia since his daughter just graduated from Virginia Military Institute and now attends law school at the University of Virginia.

Dufour most recently lived in New Hampshire. He has a bachelor’s degree in statistics from North Carolina State University and his MBA in finance and accounting from Boston College.

“I’m excited to be a part of the SEC community, look forward to getting to know the members and the employees and working for them,” he said. “I’m here to help.”

Dufour and his wife, Lisa, an elementary school teacher, have one daughter, Cassidy, and three sons, Dylan, Brandon and Luke. They live in Chesterfield County. Away from work, Dufour enjoys biking, canoeing, kayaking and golf.