Power Profile: Rick Eastman, Senior Legislative Representative – Ameren Missouri
Rick Eastman has worked for Ameren Missouri longer than the nuclear plant in Callaway County has been online. As he heads into retirement after nearly four decades, he has just about done it all, taking on roles from customer service to government relations. It is actually easier to list the jobs he has not done - read a meter and climb a pole.
“I truly feel blessed, not only to have worked for this company for more than 38 years but to have been able to experience all these different types of careers within the same company,” said Eastman, who is closing out his career as Ameren Missouri’s Senior Legislative Representative. “It has been a wonderful company to work for. I love all the work we’ve been able to do and how our accomplishments are benefiting our customers.”
Throughout his career, there is a lot Eastman can be proud of, from training coworkers in problem-solving to leading communication efforts at the Callaway Energy Center. And he is especially proud that his daughter, Karina Amsden, joined the Ameren team about five years ago and works as a Communications Specialist at the Callaway Energy Center.
Eastman helped build the POWERforward community action network from the ground up into what it is today. Through this initiative, energy stakeholders, suppliers, charitable organizations, large industrial customers and elected officials, have come together to advance energy policy legislation. He noted that constituents and business leaders engaging in the legislative process can have a great impact on passing legislation.
There are two accomplishments that have been framed and now adorn his wall: Senate Bill 564 from 2018 and Senate Bill 745 from 2022. The 2018 bill enabled Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan and was the result of roughly a decade of hard work to see passage of the energy policy legislation. The latter expanded and extended the Smart Energy Plan legislation.
“Senate Bill 564 supported much more capital investment to bring Missouri’s aging energy grid up to modern standards. It enabled the Smart Energy Plan, making a cleaner, safer grid that keeps the lights on more reliably,” Eastman said. He added that extending that policy was crucial because “you can rebuild a lot of a 100-year-old energy grid in five years, but you certainly can’t rebuild all of it.”
He noted that with everything Ameren Missouri does, customers are the first priority. He said the company also strives to balance the interests of three primary stakeholder groups: customers, shareholders, and employees. Eastman compared it to a three-legged stool, noting if any leg becomes too short, or too long, it throws everything off.
“I think I will always advocate - even to friends and family - on behalf of Ameren Missouri because it is such a tremendous company, and we provide such a tremendous service to our customers. I will always have a warm place in my heart for this company and what we do for the people of Missouri - providing affordable, reliable energy,” said Eastman.
Though he did mention it will be nice to sit back and enjoy the benefits of retirement, he is excited about even more travel with his wife, Pat. “I am looking forward to this next chapter. Pat and I are making big plans.”