Under his leadership as CEO since 2012, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives entered an era of innovation, rising to meet the demands of a changing industry by deploying advanced concepts including microgrids, solar + storage, and substation-based battery energy storage systems to enhance reliability and resiliency for their members.

Be innovative and be determined. If we do that and stay focused on our co-op mission of service, that’s our guiding light.

Brannan has an engineering background and describes himself as a problem solver, having taken a curiosity in how things work from an early age.

“When I was 8 years old my dad was fixing a TV, and I got to see inside. He let me take out the vacuum tubes and reassemble them until I got it right,” Brannan said, remembering an early and formative accomplishment. “I also took a clock apart, although it had too many little parts. It did not work again.”

Brannan became a proven energy industry leader over the course of his career, offering insights and opinions on the future of the industry through countless speaking engagements, keynote addresses, panel discussions, and interviews with national publications. He also supported the electric co-op network through national leadership roles, including serving on the boards of directors for ACES Power Marketing, the Electric Power Research Institute, and the National Renewables Cooperative Organization.

He has long been an advocate of the cooperative business model and the co-op mission to empower members and communities.

What’s Brannan’s secret to success?

“Be innovative and be determined. If we do that and stay focused on our co-op mission of service, that’s our guiding light. I think if we can put those together, we truly will build a brighter future.”
Upon Brannan’s retirement, Amadou Fall stepped into the role, selected by the board of directors after a comprehensive national search.