The 2026 Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 17th at the HEMC Headquarters in Clarkesville.

The 2025 Annual Meeting was held on Thursday, September 25th at the HEMC Headquarters in Clarkesville.

Approximately 1,700 members and guests gathered on Thursday, September 25th, at Habersham EMC’s headquarters in Clarkesville for the cooperative’s 87th Annual Meeting. Attendees enjoyed a delicious barbecue meal alongside engaging safety and fiber demonstrations.

Key Highlights:

Commitment to Members & Community

HEMC President and CEO Bryan Ferguson emphasized that the cooperative’s focus on members and community shapes both its immediate and long-range objectives. By leveraging technology and a strategic right-of-way plan, HEMC has achieved a record low in outage occurrences. Thanks to a forward-thinking Board of Directors committed to sustainable growth and stability, HEMC ranked 8th lowest in the Public Service Commission’s summer rate survey. Ferguson also applauded the cooperative’s employees for their exemplary safety record, boasting 7.9 years without lost-time accidents. He further recognized members’ voluntary participation in the Operation Round Up program, which has granted over $91,000 in the past year to support individuals, families, and organizations within the service area.

Customer Satisfaction Award

Ferguson proudly announced that HEMC earned the 2024 Customer Satisfaction Award for Co-op Utilities from The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), placing in the top 25% of electric cooperatives based on member feedback. This honor underscores the cooperative’s dedication to its members. HEMC also received this prestigious award in 2023.

Board of Directors Election

At the meeting, Dustin Hulsey, Dan Thurmond, and David Wall were re-elected to the Board of Directors. After the Business Session, the Board convened and elected officers:

Dustin Hulsey, Chairman
Bill Cantrell, Vice-Chairman
Kenneth McEntire, Secretary-Treasurer

Door Prize Drawings

Members who registered to vote in the Board election were entered into door prize drawings, including a $500 cash grand prize. This year’s grand prize winner was Lisa McClure of Cleveland, while Suzanne Fry of Clarkesville won the absentee voting prize.

This annual meeting highlighted HEMC’s unwavering dedication to its members and the communities it proudly serves.