Georgia EMC Leadership
A. Paul
Wood, President/CEO
Jennifer Bruce, CFO and Vice President, Finance & Administration
Dennis L. Chastain, Vice President, Community & Economic Development
Ann Orowski, Editor, GEORGIA Magazine
Bill Verner, Vice President, External Affairs
Jim Wright, Vice President, Training, Education & Safety
Georgia EMC Board Officers
Alice J. Mallory, Chairman
G. Anthony Norton, Vice Chairman
Randy Crenshaw, Secretary/Treasurer
 A.
Paul Wood
President/CEO
Georgia EMC
Paul Wood serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (Georgia EMC). Georgia EMC represents Georgia's 42 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs), Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Georgia Transmission Corporation and Georgia System Operations Corporation, providing service to 4.5 million residents and businesses in Georgia.
Prior to Wood becoming President/CEO of Georgia EMC in September 1997, he served from 1983 to 1997 as Executive Director of the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives, Inc. He began his rural electric career in 1965 at East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Inc. and in 1977 was appointed General Manager of Dixie EMC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
During his 46-year rural electric career, Wood has served as President of the Rural Electric Statewide Managers' Association (RESMA); as a member of the NRECA Management Advisory Committee; NRECA Procedures Committee; the NRECA Unity Task Force, the NRECA Health Care Task Force and the Touchstone Energy board of directors.
Wood received a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Northwestern Louisiana State University.
Wood currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He has been elected the Chairman of the Georgia Corporation for Economic Development, Inc. He also serves on the 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees and is a member of the FDR Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee and the KidsPeace Board of Associates. In 2004, he served as Co-Chairman of the Governor's Conference on Tourism and in 2007 he was appointed by Governor Perdue to Chair the Commission for a New Georgia's Service Delivery Task Force. In 2009, he served on the Governor's Water advisory Committee.
Wood is a member of St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Marietta, Georgia. He has participated in numerous mission trips to Honduras and currently serves as a member of the vestry.
Wood served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Airborne) and the Louisiana National Guard.
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Jennifer H. Bruce
CFO & Vice President of Administration
Georgia EMC
Jennifer Bruce is CFO and Vice President of Administration for Georgia EMC. Her responsibilities incorporate all areas of Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Policies and Procedures for Georgia EMC, Risk Management, Network Infrastructure and Information Technology. In addition, her department provides support services to associate organizations including Green Power EMC, GREMA and Directors’ Association and Georgia EMC Foundation, Inc.
Prior to joining Georgia EMC in 2003, Bruce worked at Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. corporate offices as a Federal Tax Specialist. She has also worked in public accounting and during her consulting years, she worked with a variety of clients including private wealth, venture capital firms, limited liability corporations and small to mid-size firms.
During her career, Bruce has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Institute of Management Accountants and Society for Human Resources Management. Bruce has also received achievement awards which include the National Top 20 in the Andersen Tax Challenge and is a lifetime member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Bruce is a cum laude graduate of Georgia State University, where she received a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting, and she is an alumni of the University of Georgia, where she received a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Jennifer also currently serves as a current board member of SRE Foundation.
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 Dennis
L. Chastain
Vice President, Community & Economic Development
Georgia EMC
Dennis Chastain was named Vice President, Community and Economic Development
for Georgia EMC in January 2002. He leads a comprehensive statewide
community and economic development program for Georgia's EMCs including
providing free and confidential location assistance services to prospective
businesses and industries considering a location in Georgia.
Dennis began his electric cooperative career in 1987 when he joined
Oglethorpe Power Corporation. During his tenure with Oglethorpe
Power he held various positions within the organization and served as
Director of Economic Development from 1996 to 2001.
Dennis is a Past President of the Georgia Economic Developers Association
(GEDA), a Past President of the National Rural Economic Developers Association
(NREDA) and was State Chairman of the 2001 Red Carpet Tour sponsored
by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves as a member
of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development,
the Board of Advisors of the Georgia Department of Economic Development,
and is a member of the Georgia Rural Development Council.
A native of Toccoa, Ga., Dennis holds a bachelor's degree from
the University of Georgia, is a graduate of the Economic Development
Institute at the University of Oklahoma, and is a 1999 graduate of Leadership
Georgia. He and his family are residents of Dacula, Georgia.
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 Ann Orowski
Editor, GEORGIA Magazine
Georgia EMC
Ann Orowski has been editor of GEORGIA Magazine, the publication for consumers of Georgia’s electric cooperatives, since May 1994. The publication is the oldest and largest in the state and seeks to celebrate the Georgia lifestyle, the spirit of its people and the flavor of its past. It has won numerous awards within its industry; it was recognized by the Council on Rural Electric Communicators as the “Best Newspaper or Magazine” for 2001, 2003 and 2004. It has also received many awards from the Magazine Association of the Southeast.
Orowski has earned the electric cooperative industry’s “Certified Cooperative Communicator” designation, is on the board of the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia, and has held board positions with the industry’s Statewide Editors Association and with the Magazine Association of the Southeast. She is also a member of the Georgia Marketing and Member Services and Communication Association, the Atlanta Press Association and the Cooperative Communicators Association.
A 1974 University of Georgia graduate with a degree in journalism, Orowski previously served as editor of Peachtree Magazine, managing editor of Southern Homes Magazine (now Atlanta Homes) and as editor of Palm Beach Illustrated Magazine. She and her husband, Stan, live in Dacula with their 10-year-old daughter Grace.
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 Bill
Verner
Vice President, External Affairs
Georgia EMC
Bill Verner began his rural electric career more than 20 years ago. As
head of Government Relations he coordinates the representation of Georgia's
electric cooperatives before the Georgia General Assembly, the Georgia
Public Service Commission, the United States Congress, and many state
and federal agencies. He also oversees all Georgia EMC Communications
& Member Services programs and activities.
Verner expanded upon his cooperative experience and leadership as Director
of Government and Member Relations from 1999 to 2001 for Gold Kist, Inc.,
the world's second largest poultry company.
Verner currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Agribusiness
Council. During his career, Verner has also served on the Board of Directors
for Leadership Georgia, the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum and the Georgia
Cooperative Council where he served also as President from 2001 until
2002. He also served as President of the Youth Leadership Council of
the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association from 1979 until 1980.
Verner received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the State
University of West Georgia.
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 Jim
Wright
Vice President, Training, Education & Safety
Georgia EMC
Jim Wright is Vice President, Training, Education & Safety for Georgia
EMC. His responsibilities encompass monthly EMC safety and job training
meetings, safety inspections, and safety accreditation. Wright directs
the professional and technical training schools, including the UGA
Management Development Classes, Safety Coordinators’ Conferences,
Apprentice Lineman Labs, Underground, Overhead, Right-of-way, Certified
Arborist, and Distribution Switching Schools.
Wright began his utility career in 1972 at the Lee County Electric Cooperative
in North Fort Myers, FL. He joined Georgia EMC
in 1994, as a Loss Control Instructor. In 1998, Wright served as Director
of the Training, Education & Safety Department for Georgia EMC. During
his 30 years with the electric cooperative industry, he completed his
NRECA Loss Control Internship, NSC Certified Utility Safety Administrator
(CUSA), and is a certified Medic First Aid and DOT Flagging trainer.
Wright is the NRECA Area Administrator for Safety Accreditation in Georgia.
Wright is a member of the Georgia EMC Engineering Association, Foremen/Supervisors
Association, National Utilities Training, Safety & Education Association,
Southern Area Instructors Association, Georgia Safety Coordinators, and
Executive Committee of the Georgia Lineman’s Rodeo.
Wright and his wife, Christine, reside in Juliette. They have two sons
and two grandchildren. He is a member of the Dixie Jewels Insulator Club
in Atlanta, and Rumble Plantation Hunting Club in Smarr.
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Georgia EMC Board Officers
Alice Mallory
Chairman
 Georgia
EMC Board of Directors
Chairman Alice J. Mallory is a retired school teacher and a Coweta-Fayette EMC director. She became a member of the GEMC board of directors in 2003 after she was elected to finish the unexpired term of Thomas C. Parker. After graduating from Auburn University, Ms. Mallory spent 33 years in the teaching profession. In 2003, she was honored with the Retired Educators Service Award. She is currently the secretary treasurer of Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas and a director for Relyco, Inc.
Ms. Mallory is involved in a large number of community organizations. She is a member of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, the Fayette Retired Educators, Women in Aviation, the Methodist United Women, and the First United Methodist Church. She is also the 2nd Vice-president of the Fayette County AARP and former president of the Fayette Association of Special Children.
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G. Anthony Norton
Vice
Chairman
Georgia EMC Board of Directors
Anthony Norton has served on the executive committee of the Georgia EMC Board since 2009 and on Snapping Shoals EMC's Board of Directors since 1993. He has held all titles on the SSEMC Board, including Chairman.
A native of Rockdale County, Mr. Norton received his degree in pharmacy from Mercer University in 1975 and has been co-owner of Conyers Pharmacy for 29 years. Mr. Norton served on the Rockdale Hospital Authority for 14 years and was Chairman for 6 of those years. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Conyers where he sings in the choir. Mr. Norton and his wife Sue have two children, a son and a daughter, and five grandchildren.
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Randy Crenshaw
 Secretary/Treasurer
Georgia EMC Board of Directors
Secretary/Treasurer Crenshaw is president and CEO of Irwin EMC in Ocilla and general manager of Middle Georgia EMC in Vienna. He began his career at Irwin EMC in 1974 as manager of office services. In 1988, he became general manager and CEO. In March 2010, he became manager of Middle Georgia EMC in a joint management arrangement.
Previously, Crenshaw served as chairman of the board of directors of Southeastern Electrification Council, and president of the Georgia Rural Electric Manager's Association, Georgia Cooperative Council and GRESCO, a southeast material supply company. Crenshaw serves on the boards of Green Power EMC, Smarr EMC, Wiregrass Technical College, the Georgia Cooperative Council, the Alapaha Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and Planters Bank.
Crenshaw received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Georgia Southwestern University. He is a member of Northside Baptist Church in Tifton, Ga., and a member of Gideons International.
Irwin EMC and Middle Georgia EMC are consumer owned cooperatives providing electricity and related services. Irwin EMC serves more than 8,000 members in Ben Hill, Irwin, Tift, Turner and Wilcox counties. Middle Georgia EMC serves more than 4,500 members in Dooly, Pulaski, Wilcox, Houston, Turner and Macon counties.
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