A new hand is at the helm of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation, according to an announcement from the organization. Don Hughes, a long-time manager with the utility, has been appointed to the post of CEO/general manager by BEMC’s board of directors.
 
Hughes succeeds Robert W. Leavitt, Jr. who recently retired after serving 32 years with the cooperative, a news release stated.
 
In his more than 44 years with BEMC, Hughes has been instrumental in building the electric cooperative’s operations group, according to the news release. Since February of this year he has served as assistant general manager; prior to that he was COO and vice president of operations, a position he assumed in 1999, the release stated.
 
Hughes currently chairs the Brunswick County Economic Development Commission, is vice-chair for the Dosher Memorial Hospital board of trustees, and serves on the advisory board for BB&T, according to the release. He also represents BEMC on both state and national levels, serving on various committees for the N.C. Electric Membership Corporation and for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Cooperative Research Network.