Mark Suggs, executive vice president and general manager for Farmville-based Pitt & Greene EMC, was recently elected to serve as president of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). Suggs was first seated on the CFC board in 2020.

Created by electric cooperatives more than 50 years ago, CFC provides credit and financial products to electric co-ops across the country. Its 23-member board of directors sets overall policy, establishes programs and develops strategies for CFC. Each of the board’s directors is elected for a three-year term and can serve two consecutive terms.

Pitt & Greene EMC has had a long-standing partnership with CFC, which Suggs credits for enhancing the financial position of his co-op and its service to members.

“CFC proved themselves in the beginning as a trusted friend and adviser in guiding all our financial decisions,” Suggs said. “As president, I am blessed and honored to lead the organization in its mission to finance the needs of the co-op family.”

Suggs credits learning from some of the industry’s top professionals in developing a strong knowledge base to draw from in his commitment to mentorship and legacy. His time on the CFC board has offered him a broader view of the industry, including a firsthand look at the challenges facing cooperatives across the country.

“The greatest reward is the friendships forged and aid provided to co-ops in their darkest hour,” Suggs said, “when CFC could bring the financial support needed to get them through the toughest of situations.”