Cooperative CEO to retire; search underway for successor
CREWE, VIRGINIA – Southside Electric Cooperative today announced the launch of a nationwide search for a new chief executive officer. Current President and CEO Jeff Edwards has announced his retirement, effective July 2022, closing a 37-year career at electric cooperatives in North Carolina and Virginia. He served as a cooperative CEO for 24 of those years, including the last 14 leading SEC.
The SEC Board of Directors has retained CarterBaldwin Executive Search to assist in the identification of the next CEO.
“In Jeff's 14 years leading the day-to-day operations of the Cooperative, he has been a strong, constant advocate for our members, the communities in which they live and the employees,” said Dr. Frank W. Bacon, chair of the SEC Board of Directors. “He has been unrelenting in emphasizing safety, reliability and affordability, and he has shown a vision for the future of the industry with his work in creating the Power Line Worker Training School and SEC's Day in the Life of a Lineman program. The Board of Directors appreciates Jeff's dedication to making SEC a leader among electric cooperatives, and it wishes him the best in his retirement."
Under Edwards’ leadership, SEC has remained in strong financial shape and has experienced notable system growth. A new transmission line to the Amelia Substation has strengthened reliability, and the installation of more than 120 distribution automation devices in the field have allowed for quicker restoration of power.
“It has been my privilege to lead Southside Electric Cooperative over the past 14 years,” Edwards said. “SEC members are served by a remarkable team of men and women who are committed to living the values and mission of a cooperative. While I will miss working with such a fine group, I look forward to remaining a member and devoting more time to other activities in our community.”
Founded in 1937, Southside Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric distribution utility with more than 47,500 residential and commercial members across 18 counties in central and southern Virginia. Headquartered in Crewe, SEC has district offices in Altavista, Crewe, Dinwiddie and Powhatan.
With more than 8,370 miles of lines, SEC is an established member of the communities it serves, and the Cooperative strives to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity and related services at the highest value to member-owners, resulting in an enhanced quality of life. SEC is a member of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, a regional generation and transmission cooperative providing wholesale power and other services to its 11 member cooperatives. To learn more, visit sec.coop.
Application materials are being accepted now through February 2022. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to SouthsideElectricCEO@carterbaldwin.com. Chris Guiney, partner, CarterBaldwin Executive Search, will lead the search. He may be contacted at cguiney@carterbaldwin.com.
Southside Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.