A new general manager and executive vice-president has been named for Pioneer Electric Cooperative, according to Hugh Strickland, a Pioneer member who serves on its board of trustees.

&#8220We conducted an extensive, nationwide search and received 28 resumes from across the country,” Strickland said.

Steven A. Harmon, who is currently an area manager for Volunteer Energy Cooperative in Decatur, Tenn., will succeed J. Malloy Chandler as general manager on Jan. 23, 2006. Chandler will retire Jan. 5.

&#8220Mr. Harmon was our top pick, and he received a unanimous vote of confirmation by the board of trustees as well as the search committee,” Strickland said.

Harmon, 43, is a utility industry veteran. He presently serves Volunteer Energy Cooperative, which is a 104,000-member cooperative. He has also directed engineering and operations for the area he oversees.

&#8220I am both honored and humbled to be selected to lead Pioneer Electric,” Harmon said. &#8220I am very excited about getting involved in the community. It will take teamwork and every individual working together to move Pioneer Electric forward. Whenever you don't care about who gets the credit, then you can accomplish a lot.”

Harmon and his wife, Nancy, have two children, Amanda, who is a senior in high school, and Brady, who is in the sixth grade.

&#8220I really embrace community involvement, and I'm looking forward to being a part of this community,” Harmon said.

Rural Electric Members Action Committee President Margaret Pierce said that they are looking forward to working with the new general manager.

&#8220I feel that the hiring of Mr. Harmon is a positive thing, and that we are definitely going in the right direction,” Pierce said.

REMAC had two of its representatives on the selection committee.

Barry Wood of the Industry Community and Ronald Jones of the Tyler Community in Lowndes County joined Ted Tindal, Jimmy Gardner and Hugh Strickland of the Pioneer Electric board to make up the selection committee.

Even though Wood and Jones had voting authority on the selection committee, they did not have a vote in the final decision for a new general manager. That final decision came from the Pioneer Electric Board of Trustees.

&#8220We had two outstanding men to represent us on the selection committee,” Pierce said. &#8220I am very pleased with the input they have had in selecting Mr. Harmon and with the excellent job they have done in representing REMAC and its members.”

Pioneer Electric serves members in Butler, Lowndes, Dallas and Wilcox counties in Alabama.