CLARKESVILLE -- Habersham Electric Membership Corp. will have a new leader next week.
The Clarkesville-based electric cooperative has named Brad Hicks as its new chief executive officer, officials announced at 5 p.m. Monday.
The HEMC Board of Directors released Hicks’ name after an extensive national search process to fill the CEO position.
"We were impressed by Brad’s experience in our industry, coupled with his sense of respect for and commitment to cooperative values," said HEMC Board Chairman Rick Wood in a written statement. "We are convinced Brad will be a great fit for HEMC."
Hicks has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the electric utility industry, and a broad knowledge of the cooperative business model.
Hicks has served in various roles at electric cooperatives in Texas and South Carolina, and as a principal engineer at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), according to information provided by HEMC.
Most recently, Hicks led the engineering efforts for the nation's largest distribution cooperative in Texas. He also has experience in South Carolina as the executive vice president for a generation and transmission cooperative, and he later led the engineering and operations groups for a distribution cooperative.
He holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University and a master of business administration from Aspen University.
Hicks currently serves on the Sensory Advisory Board at Akron University and is an active member of the NRECA T&D Strategies Membership Advisory Group. He is a licensed professional engineer.
Hicks will begin at HEMC on Monday.
"I’m honored by the board's decision to select me as the next CEO of HEMC,” Hicks said. “I look forward to joining the talented staff and continuing to implement the vision of our board to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable energy to our members.”
Hicks and his wife Jane have three daughters and four sons and are looking forward to returning to the Southeast, a place they consider home.
Founded in 1938, Habersham EMC serves more than 25,000 members with 3,760 miles of line in six counties of Northeast Georgia.
