Keith Pugh retires from SPEC board of trustees

For over 40 years, Keith Pugh has dedicated his time and support to Southern Pine Electric Cooperative. Mr. Pugh has never climbed a power pole or answered the telephone in one of the Southern Pine offices, but he has proudly served as a trustee of the board since 1981. Mr. Pugh retired from the Southern Pine board on February 21, 2023. He has enjoyed every minute and is proud to have served on Southern Pine’s board of trustees. To this point in time, Mr. Pugh is the longest serving board member at Southern Pine. He was young when he was called to serve, and retired at the age of 75.

Mr. Pugh says that he felt like he was just a kid himself and was hesitant when he was approached about taking Hugh Brown’s place on the board for District 4 in 1981. He and his wife, Jatricia, were content running their family business of Pugh and Son, raising their three young children and being involved in their church and community. After much consideration and prayer, Mr. Pugh accepted the position on the board. He began serving Southern Pine members on April 15, 1981.

Mr. Pugh has served on the board that has employed three managers including Tom Perry, Jim Byrd and current general manager, Vince Johnson. He says that Southern Pine has made him a better person and manager in his own business overall, with workshops and classes that he has been able to take during his time on the board. Mr. Pugh has served on the Alabama Rural Electric Association Board of Directors for two terms and has served on the PowerSouth Energy Cooperative Board of Directors for one term. He has been able to meet people from different parts of Alabama and the United States that all speak the same kind of rural America language, and if there is one thing that Mr. Pugh enjoys and can do well, it is meeting new people and talking to them.

Mr. Pugh has always felt like he is more of a visionary and he has been most proud of Southern Pine’s advancement of technology since 1981. The way employees do their jobs has changed significantly along with equipment that they use to do these jobs. Mr. Pugh remembers a time when a member would have to read their own meter. The advancement to new meters allowed Southern Pine to be able to read the meters from the office. The installation of new, co-op-read meters on Southern Pine’s system was something that Mr. Pugh supported and wanted to see happen.

Although he has enjoyed serving members on the Southern Pine board, he is also looking forward to slowing down a little. He and Jatricia are most looking forward to staying involved in their children and grandchildren’s lives, which include his children, Rodney (Amy) Pugh, Cynthia (Ryan) Meals and Shannon (Beverly) Pugh and their grandchildren Meg, Riley, Madison, John David, Madeline and Emma. The Pughs’ children and grandchildren have all grown up with Southern Pine Electric Co-op and they all feel like it’s a part of their family. Mr. Pugh is also looking forward to being at home more and working with his cows. He will miss the other board members and employees at Southern Pine, but still plans to keep up with them when he can.

Southern Pine would like to thank Mr. Pugh for his 42 years of dedication and service to the members and employees. We hope that you enjoy your retirement!

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