What motivated you to want to serve on the board?

My wife, Meleta, and I married in 1987. Her father was Hubert Brittain, a longtime BEMC board member, serving as president from 1993 to 2015; and if you cut him, he bled Brunswick blue. I initially caught the passion for it from him and have always been impressed with how BEMC has been able to handle decades of growth exceptionally well and still retain a real sense of community.

The co-op model is unique, in that everything revolves around the membership, instead of making a profit. Being on the board is a great honor, and also a huge responsibility, and I tell people that I am focused on being a good steward of their money. The industry is changing dramatically and quickly – technology, regulatory issues, outside market forces – so we spend a lot of time educating ourselves, attending conferences and seminars, gaining the knowledge we need to make good decisions. 

One of our greatest assets is our senior leadership team, they are among the best in the country. All our employees are exceptional; we couldn’t navigate the growth and run as well as we do without them.

What are some other priorities?

Meleta and I have a wonderful family; two children, Alex and Katelyn, a son-in-law, George, and two grandchildren, Audrey and George V. We are very close, talk every day and still love going on family adventures together! My Church is also a huge part of my life. I have been blessed with many friendships and mentors over the years that have guided me through the journey of life.

I’ve been a member of the South Brunswick Islands Rotary Club for more than 30 years and love it because it’s so community and service oriented. Our focus is children and youth, and one of my favorite programs that we support is STARS, which identifies children who are behind in reading, and works with them to get them back on track.

I’ve always been a workout junkie! I currently hit the gym in the mornings between 5-6 a.m. with a friend. It is a great way to get the day started! I also enjoy snow skiing and scuba diving, and Meleta and I love to travel and visit new places. One of our favorite trips has been to Maine. Beautiful state, great people!