The Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives has opened a national search for its next president and CEO.

Karl Rayborn has led AREA as president and CEO since February 2021, when he moved up from the association’s CFO post to succeed 22-year chief executive Fred Braswell.

AREA is the member-owned statewide association representing Alabama’s 22 electric distribution cooperatives and their wholesale providers, PowerSouth and TVA.

Together those cooperatives provide electricity to more than one million Alabamians across a service footprint covering more than 70% of the state’s land mass.

The search description lists the issues the next CEO will handle: “energy policy, taxation, infrastructure, broadband, workforce development, territorial matters, regulatory initiatives, rapidly increasing electric demand, and the emergence of data centers and other large loads.”

On the association’s work in Montgomery, the description says the next CEO “need not personally serve as AREA’s principal lobbyist, but must understand the legislative process, possess strong political instincts, effectively represent cooperative interests, and ensure AREA’s governmental affairs capabilities remain coordinated and credible.”

Founded in 1947, AREA also runs self-funded employee health benefits, workers’ compensation and safety programs, lineworker apprentice and training programs, and storm mutual-aid coordination for its members. It publishes Alabama Living.