June 21st, 2010
PEC hires interim GM, elects two new directors

Pedernales Electric Cooperative interim General Manager Luis Garcia and Board President Larry Landaker. PEC photo.

STAFF REPORT

The annual membership meeting of Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) produced big news Saturday in Johnson City.

A vote of more than 20,000 members produced two new director, while the existing leadership announced Luis Garcia as its interim general manager. Garcia temporarily replaces Juan Garza, who was fired last week.

Chris Perry won election as the District 4 director with 5,032 votes, beating out Ken Rigsbee (3,511 votes) and Ted Lehr (3,281 votes). Five other candidates finished back in the pack. For District 5 director, Ross Fischer eeked out a narrow victory. Fischer carried 4,824 votes, followed by Steven Carriker with 4,617 votes and Don Casey with 4,406 votes. Two other candidates finished further back.

Out of 197,824 voting members, 20,727 cast votes in the director election. Only 113 cast votes in person at PEC’s annual meeting. PEC members cast 16,855 votes by mail and 3,759 votes online.

Members also voted overwhelmingly to enact four amendments, which establish a member bill of rights, allow board vacancies to remain until the annual meeting, list the cooperative’s registered agent in the bylaws and increase the quorum required to conduct business at a member meeting. The last of those votes was the closest, with 17,389 in favor and 2,531 opposed.

Garcia joined the PEC team in 2002 and has since established the cooperative’s legal department and has acted as human resources manager and information technology manager. He became PEC’s general counsel in March 2009.

“I’ve asked that this be considered an interim position, as I am the general counsel and would like to continue to be the general counsel once this position is filled,” Garcia said. “I appreciate that the board has expressed confidence in my ability to run the cooperative while the directors seek a permanent replacement.”

Garcia graduated from the University of Texas in 1989 with a BBA finance and received his JD from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1992. Previously, Garcia practiced transactional law matters with the Houston based law firm of Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, and was an in-house attorney for H.B. Zachry Company, based in San Antonio.

“Luis has the industry experience, as well as the familiarity with PEC, to be an outstanding leader from day one,” PEC Board President Larry Landaker said. “I am confident that he is the right person for the job during this transition.”

The board has announced plans to hire a firm to conduct a national search for a new general manager. The search could take between six and nine months. Landaker has said board will take as much time as necessary to find the right candidate for PEC.