The board of directors of Wood County Electric Cooperative (WCEC) have unanimously selected Trey Teaff to serve as the cooperative’s next General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. Teaff comes to the position with a strong cooperative and financial background, with 26 years in the industry and 23 of those working at WCEC.
Teaff replaces Debbie Robinson, who joined WCEC in 1983 and was the GM and CEO from 1997 until her retirement on April 6, 2020. When Robinson announced her plans to retire in the fall of 2019, the board began a comprehensive replacement process by retaining the consulting firm of Langley & Associates Executive Search, Inc., who qualified candidates to be interviewed by the co-ops’ board of directors.
About their selection, Pat Lindley, board president said, “Trey is a well-proven leader equipped with the right skill sets to ensure stability while moving us forward. He’s technologically savvy and grounded in strong and conservative financial principles. He’s also a long-time active member of the community. My fellow board members and I are confident these combined characteristics will serve our WCEC members, employees and the greater region well.”
Teaff is a graduate of Texas Tech University where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1996. Teaff joined WCEC in 1996 after having worked at South Plains Electric Co-op. His first position at WCEC was Accounting Manager, followed by Chief Financial Officer. Prior, he worked for an accounting/auditing firm, and for the City of Lubbock.
Teaff has been active in cooperative trade associations and has also served the local community in volunteer positions. He was board member and president for Quitman Independent School District and has coached for the Quitman Youth Foundation and for Upward Youth Basketball. He served as a board member and president of the Quitman Development Corporation, and as a board member on the Greater Quitman Chamber of Commerce. He’s a former member of Rotary where he served in leadership roles including president. In 2012 Teaff was recognized for his work in the Greater Quitman Area with the Community Builder Award presented by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas.
About his new position, Teaff said, “This is a challenge and an honor I humbly and gladly accept. Because of past management practices, our cooperative is well-respected among our peers and in the communities we serve. My goal is to continue to build upon that and to ensure we continue to bring great value to the members and communities we serve.”
A native and lifelong resident of Texas, Teaff has resided in Wood County since 1996 with his with wife Stacey. They are the parents of a son, Rowdy (wife Brianna).