In August, the Central board of trustees named current Chief Financial Officer, Sondra White, as interim CEO. White will serve in the position until a new CEO is appointed.

In August, after 25 years of service to Central, Hunter Robinson resigned to serve as CEO at Baldwin EMC in Summerdale, Alabama.

“Hunter’s transformative leadership has left Central in a great position for the future,” said Carol Dvorak, Central’s board president. “We have full confidence in Sondra’s leadership and Central’s team during this transition.” 

White began her career with Central in 2018 as the business unit accountant. She became vice president of finance in 2019 and was named CFO earlier this year. 

“Central has an amazing leadership team and experienced employees who are dedicated to the cooperative principles,” White said. “It has made my job as CFO incredibly rewarding, and I am honored to serve our members and employees during this transition period.”

White is a third-generation Central member. Growing up on Central’s lines in the Mulhall area, she can still recall the pole number of her childhood home.

“I remember being so thankful seeing Central’s trucks come down our dirt roads during outages,” White said. “I’ve always respected the linemen and the work they do, and my appreciation has only grown while working at the cooperative.” 

White said that it is a priority to all of Central’s leadership that they preserve the quality of service and commitment to providing safe, affordable and reliable electricity to members.

“Sondra has helped improve our procedures and create financial strength for Central,” Dvorak said. “Her expertise, deep understanding of the cooperative’s values and dedication to our members will be invaluable as we move forward.”

White spent 22 years in the banking industry before starting her career at Central. 

“It is so refreshing that the focus is not on profit but how to best serve our members,” White said. 

Dvorak said the board of trustees does not have a strict timeline set for naming a new CEO and will take their time to find the right person. The board has hired an executive hiring firm to perform the nationwide search.