Justin Etter of Jonesboro has been named the next CEO of Craighead Electric Cooperative.
Etter is set to follow Mel Coleman, who has held the role of interim CEO since July. Coleman assumed the role after Jeremiah Sloan was dismissed as the utility’s top executive for undisclosed reasons.
Etter’s first day as CEO will be Jan. 1.
In the meantime, he has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer. He joined Craighead Electric in July 2011 and has served as vice president of member services since 2016.
“Justin has proven to be a valuable asset to both the members and employees of the cooperative,” Terry Rorex, president of the utility’s board of directors, said in a news release. “For the past 14 years, he has exemplified the principles of our mission — being member-driven and service-focused. On behalf of CECC, we are excited to see him take on this new role.”
Craighead Electric serves about 31,000 customers in eight counties in northeast Arkansas. It employs 104 people and has offices in Jonesboro, Walnut Ridge and Paragould.
The utility’s broadband provider, Empower, has nearly 16,500 customers.
“It is a true honor to continue serving the members of CECC as CEO,” Etter said in the release. “The future of our organization is bright, and this opportunity would not be possible without the guidance of our Board of Directors. To our Board, thank you for entrusting me with this privilege.”
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