The Board of Directors of Georgia Electric Membership Corp. has named Dennis L. Chastain as the association's next president/CEO, succeeding A. Paul Wood on January 1,  2016.

Chastain brings more than 28 years of experience to Georgia EMC, currently serving as senior vice president. 

"Dennis has a dedication to service to the EMCs of Georgia and to our state," says Wood. 

"We're confident that he will build upon the great foundation that has been laid for our organization."

Chastain succeeds Wood who has served as Georgia EMC's President and CEO since 1997 and is credited with a legacy of service to Georgia EMC and the utility industry. Wood will continue to serve as an advisor and consultant to the Georgia EMC Executive Committee until his retirement on April 26, 2016.

Chastain currently leads Georgia EMC's Community and Economic Development and Training, Education and Safety programs.  He began his electric cooperative career in 1987 when he joined Oglethorpe Power Corp. During his tenure, he held various positions within the organization and served as director of Economic Development from 1996 to 2001 before moving to Georgia EMC in January 2002.

Chastain is a past president of the Georgia Economic Developers Assoc., past president of the National Rural Economic Developers Assoc. and was State chairman of the 2001 Red Carpet Tour sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

He currently serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.           

A native of Toccoa, Ga., Chastain holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia, is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Assoc. Management Internship Program at the University of Wisconsin and is a 1999 graduate of Leadership Georgia.

He and his wife, Lucy, live in Dacula, Ga., and have two children – Alex and Cristina.