North Georgia EMC held its 76th Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday, August 2, at the Dalton Trade Center.

The crowd of around 2,000 was entertained by Northwest Georgia-based quartet Pipeline and Cleveland, Tenn., singer Mallory Ledford. Members enjoyed booths that included community organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Forestry Commission, Girl Scouts, the Chattooga County Literacy Council, and Murray County Chamber of Commerce. Gordon Hospital also gave free blood pressure checks, and provided wellness and health education information.

NGEMC is a consumer-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to 98,450 members in Catoosa, Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon, Murray, Walker and Whitfield counties.

In his annual report, NGEMC President/CEO Ron Hutchins said that Mother Nature was unkind this past year in Northwest Georgia and North Georgia EMC’s employees overcame the challenges, got the lights back on and delivered safe and reliable electricity in extremely challenging conditions.

“Many challenges have come our way, but we’ve made a great deal of progress in improving our distribution system and, in turn, serving you better.”

While Hutchins complimented team members for a job well done, he also spent a segment of his annual address announcing his plan to retire following the 2013 Annual Meeting. Hutchins introduced to the membership Kathryn West, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and expressed his high degree of confidence in her leadership. In 2011, the Board of Directors unanimously selected West for the position under of the Cooperative’s executive succession planning initiative.

In the co-op business meeting, members attending heard the annual report of the Cooperative and voted the re-election, without opposition, of two directors, M.L. Holsonback of Floyd County and Ed Worley of Gordon County.

Gerald Lowery, NGEMC’s Chairman of the Board, noted advances made by the Cooperative in his report to members. In fiscal year 2011-12.