Alabama Rural Electric Association

Wrapping up our recent awards presentations, we were proud to honor two friends in the media world with the 2026 Alabama Media Excellence Award. The family of the late Desmond Wingard was on hand to accept the award from President and CEO Karl Rayborn on behalf of their son, the former news director at WSFA-TV in Montgomery. Wingard, who died last year, knew and appreciated the hard work our electric cooperatives do to keep the power on for their members and went out of his way to tell their story.  The other recipient was WTVY News 4 in Dothan, honored for their  partnership with Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and their commitment to fair and accurate coverage. Rayborn and Wiregrass VP of Member Services & Communication Stevie Sauls presented the award to General Manager Valerie Russell-Clausen.

We celebrated our Alabama electric cooperative linemen today with a special program and lunch at Dixie Electric Cooperative. Thanks to our friends Clay Scofield of the Energy Institute of Alabama, State Senator April Weaver, WSFA chief meteorologist Josh Johnson and Clarke-Washington EMC lineman Canaan Hare for speaking to the group today. Representing their co-ops were linemen from Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative, Pea River Electric Cooperative, Joe Wheeler EMC, Friends of Black Warrior EMC, Clarke-Washington EMC and Dixie EC.

We’re sorry he couldn’t be with us, but we honored David Atchison, construction crew foreman at Clarke-Washington EMC, with the Jack Jenkins Co-op Employee Citizenship Award at our annual meeting last week. CWEMC General Manager Steve Sheffield accepted the award for David from AREA President and CEO Karl Rayborn. The award honors a cooperative employee who goes above and beyond the normal routine call of duty and made a significant contribution to his co-op, community, and/or the state. David has worked at the co-op for nearly 50 years, and was praised for his “work ethic, integrity and passion for service.”

This morning we kicked off our PAC meeting by hearing from two of our endorsed candidates for public office, Jay Mitchell, candidate for attorney general and Wes Allen, candidate for lieutenant governor, who participated in a panel discussion with our Chief Operating Officer Sean Strickler. Thanks to both for joining us.

Former AREA Board Chairman Randy Brannon was honored with the Bill Nichols Award at our Annual Meeting today. The award honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the rural electric program in Alabama. Randy faithfully served the cooperative world for more than 50 years at Pea River Electric where he retired in 2021 after serving as manager for 25 years. Joining him for the award were his daughter Kelli Lachowicz and wife Peggy. Congratulations, Randy!