Board Candidates

Candidate for re-election, District 1

Cynthia Gilbride, a native Northern Virginian, graduated from George Mason University with a Business Administration degree. She is currently employed with the Department of Defense, specializing in the labor and employee relations. She has more than 18 years of federal government service.

Gilbride has been a NOVEC customer since 1980. Members elected her to the board of directors in 1998. She has served on the Facilities/Land, Policy/Bylaws, and Government Relations committees. In 2004 she began serving on the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives' Educational Services Committee and the Educational Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors. Gilbride received her Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in 2004. She completed her Board Leadership Certification in 2014.

Gilbride’s community service includes serving on her homeowners’ association board of trustees since 2006, and volunteering with the Boy Scouts, PTA, swim team, neighborhood watch, Youth for Tomorrow, and high school athletics teams. Gilbride and her husband Paul live in Centreville. They have three grown children and one grandson.

Gilbride says, “I have been fortunate enough to work with the extremely dedicated NOVEC CEO, employees, and fellow board members to keep the power on and the rates reasonable.”

unopposed for re-election, District 7

J. Manley Garber has served on the board since 1950. In 1974, the Woodbridge resident began his long tenure as board chairman — a position he held until he “turned over the reins” to Wade House in 2008 and became vice chairman. In 2013 Garber stepped aside as vice chairman, but has continued to serve as an active board director.

Garber’s career has taken him from being a farmer, to business owner, commercial real estate buyer and seller, and car buyer and seller.

Garber says, “Serving on the board has been the most rewarding thing I have done in my life, helping people get quality electric service at reasonable rates. I have seen the Co-op grow from one of the smallest in the nation to one of the largest — without a doubt one of the best in service and financial condition.”

Garber and his wife Kay Garber stay involved with community service and their grown seven children, 16 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.