When Jefferson Energy Board Member Jim Gay isn’t meeting with his fellow board members, setting policies and procedures for the Cooperative, he can most likely be found somewhere on his farm tending to his 3,500 acres of cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans, wheat and cattle.

Making a living off the land for the past 31 years, Gay knows the importance of electricity in agriculture. “Electricity is vital to my farming operation,” says Gay, who operates eight center-pivot irrigations that are powered by electricity. “You must have reasonable power rates and excellent service for the farm to be profitable.”

Gay has been a member of Jefferson Energy Cooperative since 1976. He has served on the Board of Directors for 10 years, and he has been the Secretary-Treasurer for the past seven. (10022875-01) Gay is also the Chairman of the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDLG) committee, a program that provides financial support for businesses in rural areas. Gay states that being a member of the Jefferson Energy Cooperative and serving on the Board has enabled him to “stay on top” of decisions that directly affect each member of the co-op. “I’ve had an opportunity to help the members and to be a voice for the members,” Gay says. “I just want to continue to have the lowest possible rates, the best possible service and the most reliable power sources available.”

In addition to operating his farm and serving on the Jefferson Energy Board, Gay also serves his community in many other capacities. He is an active member and deacon of Wrens Baptist Church, a member of the Board of Directors at First State Bank, a member of the Cotton Incorporated Board, of the Stapleton Cooperative, and board member of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau and the Southern Cotton Growers Association. “If you want to improve the quality of life in your community and your industry,” says Gay, “you must be a player and not a bystander.”

Although Gay’s community and farm responsibilities are enough to keep anyone busy for a lifetime, he still finds time for his two most important roles—that of husband and father. Jim’s wife, Connie, who is in her 30th year of teaching in Jefferson County, also believes in the need to be actively involved in the community. “The children are the future of our county, and I want to do everything in my power to make their future a bright one,” she says. Gay’s 16-year-old daughter Jessica is a student at Jefferson County High School, where Connie teaches English. Jeremy, Gay’s 25-year-old son, is a graduate of Jefferson County High School and the University of Georgia, where he majored in agribusiness. After graduating from college, Jeremy married the former Natalie Daniel of Columbia County, returned to Jefferson County and to farming, just like his dad.

Although Gay’s many responsibilities keep him quite busy, he and his family try to spend time relaxing. One of their favorite activities is water-skiing at the lake. Gay’s favorite pastime, however, is hunting. He hunts anything from deer to dove to turkeys to quail. “If it involves being outdoors, I love to do it!” exclaims Gay.

Whether he is relaxing at the lake with his family, working on the farm with his son or attending a Board meeting at Jefferson Energy, he says he enjoys and is thankful for the many opportunities and blessings that God has given him. “One thing that makes my job at Jefferson Energy so simple is the fact that we have such dedicated and loyal employees who are eager to get their job done, day or night,” Gay says. “I also want to thank member-owners for the opportunity to serve as a director for the past 10 years.”

Jim Gay has served as a JEC Director since 1996.