Clay Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees is composed of members who live and work in Clay Electric’s service territory. They are elected to oversee the governance of the cooperative. The Board is elected by the members from the general membership of the cooperative. They are responsible for establishing, reviewing and revising corporate policies to ensure that Clay Electric fulfills its mission to provide members with safe, reliable and affordable electricity with excellent customer service. See the Cooperative’s bylaws for more information regarding trustee roles and responsibilities.
The Board of Trustees will meet in the boardroom at the headquarters building in Keystone Heights at noon Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 and Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.
Trustee district boundaries as listed below are effective Feb. 1, 2024.
Cindy Loose of Keystone Heights, District 1
Cindy Loose of Keystone Heights, District 1
elected 2023
Cindy Loose teaches mathematics at Keystone Heights Jr./Sr. High School. She graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Florida. Cindy has served as Mathematics Department Chairperson, Math Honor Society Sponsor, member of the National Honor Society Academic Faculty Council, member of the KHHS Safety Committee, and a Curriculum Council Committee member.
She also participated in the rigorous program of becoming a Nationally Board-Certified Teacher. Cindy also spearheads the Cambridge AICE/Pre-AICE program, serving as the Cambridge AICE Coordinator.
Kelley Smith (President) of Palatka, District 2
Kelley Smith of Palatka, District 2
1987-present
Kelley Smith, a former Florida House Representative, has held all of the board officer positions on the co-op’s board of trustees: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.
Kelley holds the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
Susan Reeves of Hawthorne, District 3
Susan Reeves of Hawthorne, District 3
1981-present
Susan Reeves has held all positions on Clay’s Board of Trustees, and is currently the president of the Board of Trustees at Seminole Electric, Clay’s wholesale power supplier. She holds the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
Carl Malphurs of Alachua, District 4
Carl Malphurs of Alachua, District 4
2010-present
Carl Malphurs, a farmer and lifelong resident of Alachua County, has held all of the board officer positions.
Carl holds the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
Dewitt Hersey (Vice President) of Starke, District 5
Dewitt Hersey of Starke, District 5
2012-present
Dewitt Hersey has held all of the board officer positions and holds the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
Dewitt retired from Clay Electric in 1996 after a 36-year career in engineering.
Jimmy Wilson of Middleburg, District 6
Jimmy Wilson of Middleburg, District 6
2014-present
Jimmy Wilson, a lifelong resident of Clay County, is retired from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
He has held all of the board officer positions on the co-op’s board of trustees and holds the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
John Henry Whitehead (Treasurer) of Lake Butler, District 7
John Henry Whitehead of Lake Butler, District 7
2007-present
John Henry Whitehead retired as a colonel in the Florida Department of Corrections, where he served 35 years.
He has held all of the board officer positions and holds the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
Jo Ann Smith (Secretary) of Wacahoota, District 8
Jo Ann Smith of Wacahoota, District 8
2012-present
Jo Ann Smith has held all of the board officer positions and holds NRECA’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
She is a lifelong Clay Electric member and served as assistant secretary for Marketing and Inspection Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1989 to 1993.
Karen Hastings of Citra, District 9
Karen Hastings of Citra, District 9
2015-present
Karen Hastings has held all of the board officer positions and holds NRECA’s Director Gold credential certification, the highest level of achievement in NRECA’s Director Certificate Programs.
Hastings has been a member of Clay Electric since 1995 and is a retired realtor.
All of Clay County lying west of U.S. Highway No. 17 and south of State Road No. 16; also, that part of Clay County described as follows: Begin at the intersection of State Road No. 16 and County Road No. 218, thence northerly along County Road No. 218 to County Road No. 216 (Cathedral Oaks Parkway), thence easterly along County Road No. 216 (Cathedral Oaks Parkway), to State Road No. 23, thence northerly along State Road No. 23 to County Road No. 220; thence easterly along County Road No. 220 to U. S. Highway No. 17; thence southerly along U.S. Highway No. 17 to State Road No. 16; thence westerly along State Road No. 16 to County Road No. 218.
All of Clay County lying easterly of the following described line: Begin at the intersection of State Road No. 21 and the southern boundary of Duval County; thence run southwesterly along State Road No. 21 to County Road No. 224 (College Drive); thence southerly along County Road No. 224 to County Road No. 220 (Doctors Inlet Road); thence easterly on County Road No. 220 to U.S. Highway No. 17; thence, southerly on U.S. Highway No. 17 to the Putnam County line and the end of said line; and, all of Putnam County lying easterly of the following described line: Begin at the intersection of U.S. Highway No. 17 and the north line of Putnam County; thence run westerly on the Putnam County line to Bardin Road; thence southerly on said Bardin Road to State Road No. 100; thence easterly on State Road No. 100 to County Road No. 309C; thence southerly on County Road No. 309C to State Road No. 20; thence westerly on said State Road No. 20 to Silver Lake Road; thence southerly on Silver Lake Road to State Road No. 19; thence southerly on State Road No. 19 to the Cross Florida Barge Canal; thence easterly along the Cross-Florida Barge Canal to the St. Johns River; thence southerly on the St. Johns River to a westerly projection of County Road No. 308; thence easterly on County Road No. 308 to its intersection with U.S. No. 17 in Crescent City and the end of said line.
All of Alachua County lying east of a line beginning at the intersection of State Road No. 121 with the southern boundary of Alachua County and running generally northeasterly along said State Road No. 121 to its intersection with State Road No. 24, thence running generally northeasterly along said State Road No. 24 to its intersection with U.S. Highway No. 301 in Waldo, thence running northerly along said U.S. Highway No. 301 to its intersection with the northern boundary line of Alachua County and the end of said line; also all of Putnam County lying west of County Road No. 315. Also, that part of Putnam County described as follows: Begin at the intersection of County Road No. 315 and County Road No. 310 and run northerly on said County Road No. 315 to the north line of Putnam County; thence easterly on the Putnam County line to Bardin Road; thence southerly on Bardin Road to State Road No. 100; thence easterly on State Road No. 100 to County Road No. 309C; thence southerly on County Road No. 309C to State Road No. 20; thence westerly on State Road No. 20 to Silver Lake Road; thence southerly on Silver Lake Road to State Road No. 19; thence southerly on State Road No. 19 to County Road No. 310; thence westerly on County Road No. 310 to County Road No. 315.
All of Alachua County lying west of a line beginning at the intersection of State Road No. 121 with the southern boundary line of Alachua County and running generally northeasterly along said State Road No. 121 to its intersection with State Road No. 24, thence running generally northeasterly along said State Road No. 24 to its intersection with U.S. Highway No. 301 in Waldo, thence running northerly along said U.S. Highway No. 301 to its intersection with the northern boundary line of Alachua County and the end of said line. Also, all of Gilchrist County.
All of Baker and Bradford Counties.
Also, that part of Clay County described as follows: Begin at the intersection of State Road No. 16 and the West line of Clay County, thence easterly along State Road No. 16 to County Road No. 218, thence northerly and westerly on County Road No. 218 to County Road No. 217, thence northerly on County Road No. 217 to the Clay County Line, then west on the Clay County line to the Bradford County line, thence south on the Bradford County line to said State Road No. 16.
A part of Clay County described as follows:
Begin at the intersection of State Road No. 21 and the southern boundary of Duval County; thence run southwesterly along State Road No. 21 to County Road No. 224 (College Drive); thence southerly along County Road No. 224 to County Road No. 220 (Doctors Inlet Road); thence westerly on County Road No. 220 to State Road No. 23; thence southerly on State Road No. 23 to County Road No. 216 (Cathedral Oaks Parkway); thence west along County Road No. 216 to County Road No. 218, thence northerly and westerly on County Road No. 218 to County Road No. 217, thence northerly on County Road No. 217 to the northern Clay County Line (southern boundary of Duval County); thence east on the Clay County line to State Road No. 21.
Also, all of the remaining customers in Duval County.
All of Columbia, Union and Suwannee Counties.
All of Levy County; also all of Lake County, and all of Marion County lying easterly and southerly of a line beginning at the intersection of the Marion/Putnam County line and the west bank of the St. Johns River and running westerly along said Marion/Putnam County line to its intersection with State Road No. 19; thence running south on State Road No. 19 to its intersection with County Road No. 314; thence running southwesterly along said County Road No. 314 to its intersection with State Road No. 40; thence running westerly along said State Road No. 40 to its intersection with U.S. Highway No. 301 in Ocala; thence running southerly on U.S. Highway No. 301 to its intersection with the southern boundary of Marion County and the end of said line; and also all of Marion County west of U.S. Highway No. 301.
All of Flagler and Volusia Counties; and all of Putnam County lying south of the following described line: Begin at the intersection of U.S. Highway No. 17 and County Road No. 308 in Crescent City and run westerly on County Road No. 308 to the St. Johns River; thence northerly on the St. Johns River to its confluence with the Cross-Florida Barge Canal; thence run westerly on said canal to State Road No. 19; thence north on State Road No. 19 to County Road No. 310; thence west on County Road No. 310 to County Road No. 315; thence generally southerly and westerly on County Road No. 315 to the Marion County line; and, all of Marion County lying easterly and northerly of the following described line: Begin at the intersection of U.S. Highway No. 301 and the northern boundary of Marion County, thence run southerly along said U.S. Highway No. 301 to State Road No. 40 in Ocala; thence easterly along State Road No. 40 to County Road No. 314, thence northeasterly along County Road No. 314 to State Road No. 19; thence northerly along State Road No.19 to the Marion/Putnam County boundary line and the end of said line.
