Sep. 9, 2024
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative CEO Mel Coleman was appointed interim CEO of Craighead Electric Cooperative (CECC) and empower, delivered by Craighead Electric following the departure of CEO Jeremiah Sloan.
The following statement was released by the CECC board of directors: “The Board of Directors would like to extend their gratitude for the leadership Mr. Sloan provided as CEO of CECC and empower. The positive impact he made during his time here has positioned both companies and their employees to continue to provide world-class service to members and their communities. The Board wishes Mr. Sloan the best of luck as he departs to pursue the next chapter of his professional career.”
Through a reciprocal shared management agreement with NAEC, Coleman has assumed the duties as interim CEO of CECC and empower.
Coleman has been CEO of NAEC since 2001 and CEO of NEXT, Powered by NAEC since its inception in 2017. He is the former president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and is its current Arkansas director. He currently serves on the boards of Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc., ERMCO Transformers and Today’s Power Inc. He is a former board member of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation.
“Cooperation among Cooperatives is one of our seven principles. I’m happy to be of service to CECC and empower, serving an outstanding membership with one of the greatest teams in the cooperative world. Craighead Electric is one of the leading cooperatives in the nation, and our exceptional member service will continue through this seamless management transition,” Coleman said.
NAEC and CECC have had this agreement in place since 2012. The unaffected cooperative CEO serves as the interim CEO for the affected cooperative until a new CEO is named. This is a standard agreement between like cooperatives, developed by the NRECA. During this interim period, CECC will begin the search for a new CEO.
