Cooper Presents at National Conference

Weatherization and Housing Services Director Eddie Cooper candidly discussed his career journey and unexpected succession to the director role during the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) Annual Conference in St. Louis in early September.

Cooper was one of two presenters for the session, “Weatherization Succession & Success Planning: Sustaining Workforce, Leadership, and Program Excellence.” He presented alongside Dusniel “Dus” Alvarez, Weatherization Coordinator with Southwest Georgia Community Action Council. The session was moderated by Aderika McClain, Senior Associate for Weatherization Workforce Development with NCAP.

Cooper and Alvarez asked agencies to consider what would happen if a key member of the team unexpectedly had to step away. Would others know where files and information are stored? Would they understand the full scope of that person’s responsibilities? Would the team have access to the systems and information necessary to keep the program moving? It was a very practical way of thinking about continuity, knowledge transfer, and developing people throughout an organization.

Cooper shared MVCAP’s experience with those questions after Barry Strahorn’s passing last December. He talked openly about unexpectedly losing his colleague, mentor and friend.

MVCAP CEO Erin Jeffries praised Cooper for his impactful presentation which included his own story “from field to leadership: 20 years of lessons, growth, and experience.” He began as a weatherization technician, became a crew leader, then an energy auditor and Energy Auditor Supervisor. Certification through BPI as a Quality Control Inspector, and later Senior QCI, opened the door to greater quality and leadership responsibilities.

Cooper said each role prepared him for the next. Along the way, he learned the work, led others, coached teammates, and protected quality. As his leadership grew, so did the scale of his service: from team, to programs, to community.

“Having benefited from growth in virtually every position in weatherization, Eddie recently helped co-create a more structured, equitable career path for more than half the staff at MVCAP,” added Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Katie O’Donoghue-Ly. “That workforce planning will help sustain our work in the future.”

In discussing the large scale of MVCAP’s weatherization program, Cooper also highlighted work beyond traditional weatherization. In addition to 46 teammates who complete approximately 700 jobs a year, MVCAP is part of the Dayton Home Repair Network and partners with Liberty High School to provide training for its students.

“His presentation showed both the technical expertise behind our weatherization program and the importance of intentionally developing people so that knowledge, leadership, and program excellence continue from one generation of leaders to the next,” Jeffries added.