Over 1,800 members and guests gathered on Thursday, September 17th, at Habersham EMC’s headquarters in Clarkesville for the cooperative’s 88th Annual Meeting. Attendees enjoyed a delicious barbecue meal, music by the band Acrosstime, as well as engaging safety and fiber demonstrations.
Key Highlights:
Commitment to Members & Safety
HEMC President and CEO Bryan Ferguson shared that the cooperative’s focus on members and community shapes both daily and long-range objectives. Thanks to a forward-thinking Board of Directors committed to sustainable growth and stability, HEMC ranked 6th lowest in the Public Service Commission’s summer rate survey. Ferguson also applauded the cooperative’s employees for their exemplary safety record, boasting 8.9 years without lost-time accidents. While implementing technology to improve reliability, HEMC met member and community needs for high-speed broadband through its subsidiary, Trailwave Fiber, Inc. Trailwave now serves approximately 18,000 members and is available throughout HEMC’s service area.
Customer Satisfaction Award
Ferguson proudly announced that HEMC earned the 2026 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 and 2024.
Board of Directors Election
At the meeting, Billy Cantrell, Dallas Taylor, and Rick Wood were re-elected to the Board of Directors. After the Business Session, the Board convened and elected officers:
- Dustin Hulsey, Chairman
- Billy 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 Lenell Free of Clarkesville, while Randall J. Norton of Alto won the absentee voting prize.
This annual meeting highlighted the pillars of HEMC’s success: engaged members, dedicated Board of Directors, devoted employees, strong community and industry partnerships.