John Horner promoted to Chief Operating Officer

Easton Utilities announced the promotion of John J. Horner, Jr. to Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer (COO). In this role, John is responsible for the oversight of daily operational activities, strategic planning, project management and providing leadership to the multi-disciplinary teams in the organization. “John is a visionary leader who is personally committed to ensuring our people are inspired by our core values and work together to provide safe, reliable services to our customers,” said Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

The Senior Vice President of Operations and COO is critical in the organization, combining technical skills with analytical insight to implement policies and spearhead the overall operational plan for Easton Utilities. The COO is an integral part of the executive team and works closely with nine department heads to execute projects on time and on budget. “I am constantly impressed with the customer focus, depth of knowledge and commitment to excellence displayed by all the employees here at Easton Utilities,” said Horner.

John was recently chosen for the Leadership Maryland, Class of 2020 and is a Shore Leadership, Class of 2018 alumni. He has over 30 years of industry experience and prior to joining Easton Utilities in 2016, he was the director of northeast regional electric operations and director of distribution system operations (gas and electric) for BGE. John graduated from The Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Science in electrical and computer engineering and holds a Master of Business Administration from Loyola College. He is very active in the community volunteering for several organizations including the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Hospice, Tidewater Rotary, and the MD/DC Utilities Association. John lives in Easton with his wife, has two children, and enjoys all the benefits the Eastern Shore has to offer.