The Habersham EMC Board of Directors today announced that Bryan Ferguson has been hired as the local electric cooperative’s new president and CEO.
The board hired Ferguson following an exhaustive nearly year-long, nationwide search. They received 90 applications and whittled those down to a group of six finalists from which the Habersham County native was chosen.
“As a board, we wanted someone with an electric utility background to lead the cooperative as well as build relationships with our members, employees, and communities. We have found that individual and are pleased to have Bryan Ferguson lead our organization,” says board chairman David Wall.
Ferguson has 24 years of electric utility experience and is currently employed with Alabama Power, a division of the Southern Company. He held various leadership positions within Georgia Power prior to joining Alabama Power in 2018.
HEMC says Ferguson has a strong track record of achieving strategic company goals, managing resources to ensure organizational success, and building community relationships. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Polytechnic State University and a Corporate Management Certification in Organizational Leadership from Emory University.
Ferguson is a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development (Class of 2012) and Leadership Habersham (Class of 2016).
Ferguson, his wife Wendy, and daughter Anna Claire will be returning home to Habersham County as he assumes his new role at HEMC. The couple also has three adult children and a grandchild.
“I am honored to have been selected by the HEMC Board of Directors as the new President and CEO. I look forward to returning to my home community and engaging with the cooperative’s members across the system,” Ferguson says.
He’ll take over the job from Whit Hollowell on September 28. Hollowell was named acting CEO after Bradley Hicks resigned last September.
Ferguson will be the fifth person in six years to hold the job as either full or acting CEO of HEMC. Prior to that, Todd Pealock, who resigned in September 2014, held the job for 17 years.
