Region VIII

Hanover and Goochland counties

FRANK CASTELVECCHI II has served at the Montpelier Volunteer Fire Department, including many terms as chief. He is a retired senior engineer from Henrico County Building Inspections. While with Henrico, he served on the national level Building O cials and Code Administration Ad Hoc Energy Conservation Committee that developed the recommendations that are the foundation of the current ICC Energy Conservation Code.

Castelvecchi’s engineering degree is from Virginia Tech, and he holds a master’s in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He currently serves as treasurer on the Henrico Federal Credit Union Board of Directors. During his 19-year tenure on the Board, the credit union has grown from $52 million to $375 million in assets. He has previously served on the Boards of the Shalom House Retreat Center and the Virginia Building Code O cials Association.

Frank is an active member of his church lectoring, helping to distribute communion and volunteering with the Knights of Columbus, currently as grand knight.

STEVEN ELLIS is president of Workshaper, a consultancy that has been helping organizations improve and grow for more than 30 years. Workshaper, based in Doswell since 1996, helps organizations improve planning and operating, measuring success, improving quality and customer satisfaction and enhancing their ability to train and develop employees.

Ellis twice served as president of the Hanover Chamber of Commerce and director of the Chamber’s Western Division. He served as president of the Richmond chapter of the Association for Quality and Participation and has been a member of the quality and transportation committees of the greater Richmond and Virginia chambers of commerce, respectively.

Ellis’ civic a airs commitment has also included serving on Hanover County’s rst internet study committee, which researched the county’s broadband issues. That work reinforced his belief that having accessible, a ordable and reliable highspeed internet service is imperative for meeting the business, social and economic needs of the future.

Ellis holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut and is an author, pilot and an adjunct faculty member with the Community College Workforce Alliance.

RODDY MITCHELL is a lifelong resident of Hanover County, residing in Montpelier, where he was born and raised. The land he resides on has been in the family for over 150 years and holds a wealth of history, now called “Heir eld.”

Mitchell is a 1970 graduate of Patrick Henry High School and a 1974 graduate of Virginia State University, where he holds a Bachelor of Science in business. He has completed graduate work at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Business. Mitchell is CEO of Platinum Tours, which he has owned for the last 19 years. Platinum Tours is a charter bus company and tour operator, providing domestic and international travel. Prior to founding Platinum Tours, Mitchell worked for Reynolds Metals. He has served on both the Trustees and Deacons Ministries in his church.

Mitchell has served his professional community extensively. He was a member of the Institute of Management Accountants and President of the Reynolds Metals Employee’s Association. He is a current member of multiple national motorcoach associations, and the Virginia Motorcoach Association, where he is currently president-elect.

If elected, Mitchell looks forward to working with the REC leadership team, keeping in mind the interests of its members and serving with the utmost integrity.

ERIC PAULSON was born in Harrisonburg, Va., and grew up working on his family’s dairy farm in Port Republic. Paulson graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. A er college, he completed the Sorensen Institute for Public Policy program from the University of Virginia.

Paulson has served as the Executive Director for the Virginia State

Dairymen’s Association (VSDA) since 2009. In this role, he works on behalf of the dairy farmers in Virginia by representing and promoting the dairy industry in the Commonwealth.

Paulson also previously served as the Vice President of the Virginia Cooperative Council, which exists to promote the understanding, history, purpose, and services of cooperatives in Virginia. Growing up working on a dairy farm, Paulson has a deep understanding of the important role that cooperatives play in our communities. He also has served on the board of directors for both the Pure Water Forum and the Dairy Foundation of Virginia.

SCOTT WILLIAMS, a lifelong resident of Virginia, has worked in for-pro t, not-for-pro t, and government business sectors in a variety of roles that have prepared him to serve on the REC Board. These include Licensing Inspector and Operations Consultant for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Chief Operating O cer for the YMCA, and Chief Operating O cer for the Henrico Education Foundation.

Williams’ experience with the Commonwealth of Virginia included regulatory oversight and the review and interpretation of proposed and current regulations and laws. At the YMCA, Williams found a career that aligned with his commitment to put Christian Principles into practice through service. In his YMCA COO role, Williams ensured the delivery of high-quality programming to communities spread across six counties and cities. A er retiring from the YMCA in 2019, Williams joined the Henrico Education Foundation to lead the development of an innovative enrichment program that supports student achievement. These varied experiences have prepared Williams to serve all REC members by evaluating government regulation, fostering innovation, and conducting operations in a safe, reliable and affordable manner.

Williams holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from George Mason University.

Williams is dedicated to protecting the Cooperative’s ability to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity, and providing access to high-speed internet to our member communities.