Board of Directors

District Number 1 - Bethel, Edwards Cove, Hidden Valley, Cathey Cove to the gap of mountain (High Cliff Dr.), Pigeon Gap Rd. on Hwy. 276 south to Blue Ridge Parkway, Peters Cove, and Sunny Drive, Hwy. 215 to Stamey Cove, the west side of NC-110 to Murray Road and Hwy. 215/Lake Logan Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Clyde and Canton areas of Chambers Mtn, Thickety, Beaverdam, Newfound, Midway Medical, Ratcliffe Cove, Poison Cove and Stamey Cove. Including surrounding communities.

Bio
Lucas is a native of Haywood County and a lifelong resident in the Bethel Community. Lucas and his wife Kelly Thomason Sorrells have three children, Isabella, Emma, and Brock. He is the son of Steve and Phyllis Sorrells, of Bethel. Lucas graduated from Pisgah High School in 1996. He attended North Carolina State University from 1996 to 1999. In 1999, he began working for Bellsouth as an Installation and Repair Technician. He worked as a technician for 5 years in Haywood and Buncombe County. In 2004, he accepted a management position with Bellsouth, which later became AT&T. He was a Network Manager over a Special Services Installation and Repair crew. His crew covered Haywood, Buncombe, Henderson, and some of Polk County. He held that position for three years. In the fall of 2007, he resigned from AT&T and began working for his current employer, Jerue Truck brokers, of Clyde. He is an active member of Riverside Baptist Church and a member of the Bethel Rural Community Organization.

Contact
President
Mr. Lucas Sorrells
L.Sorrells@haywoodemc.com 
342 Indian Hills Loop
Waynesville, NC 28786
(828) 734-4099 (Cell)
(828) 235-2004 (Home)

District Number 2 - North of US 64 from Brevard to the Haywood County line and US 64 to the intersection of NC 281/Lower White Water Road then northwest to the Jackson County line including the communities of Cold Mountain, Lake Toxaway Country Club, Balsam Grove, Bear Lake, Caney Fork, Charlie's Creek, Cradle of Forestry, Davidson River, Quebec, Silversteen, Tuckasegee, Cherryfield. Including surrounding communities.

This District is currently vacant.

District Number 3 - All of the Cashiers community.  Buck Knob Road, Blue Valley, Clear Creek, Dillard Road, Hale Ridge, Highlands, Middle Creek, Otto, Pine Mountain, Satolah, Scaly Mountain, Sky Valley, South Tryphosa, Tessentee, Turtle Pond, Walking Stick, Wade Hampton Country Club, Whiteside Cove, Chattooga Country Club.

Bio
Clay Talley represents the 3rd district, which includes the community of Scaly Mountain, where he and his wife reside. Clay enjoys gardening and hunting. He and his wife attend the Scaly Mountain Church of God.

Clay has over 40 years of experience as an electrical utility worker. After having worked for both an investor-owned utility and a municipal utility, Clay can truly appreciate the values of a cooperative system. He says, “I count it a privilege to serve my community by effectively representing them on the HEMC board.” His chief goal is to ensure reliable service while keeping rates affordable for all members of the co-op.

Contact
Secretary/Treasurer
Mr. Clay Talley
C.Talley@haywoodemc.com
25 Chestnut Mountain Road
Scaly Mountain, NC 28775
(828) 526-4506 (Home)
(828) 421-7248 (Cell)

District Number 4 - Beantown, Black Camp Gap, Cherokee, Fie Top, Heaths Peak, Hemphill, Jonathan Creek, Maggie Valley, Sheepback, Shelton Cove, Soco, Sutton Town, Utah Mountain, south side of Hwy. 209 at the intersection of Hwy. 209 and I-40. The southwest side of Iron Duff Road to Coleman Mountain to Hwy. 276 Jonathan Creek and south of wind tunnel to Heaths Peak. Including surrounding communities.

Bio
Having grown up on his family's farm, Lewis has called the Iron Duff community, in District 4, home for over 40 years. He, along with his wife and their two daughters, continue to live on the farm and embrace the lifestyle and people of Haywood County.

Lewis is co-owner of Clark & Leatherwood, Inc., where he has served as Vice President and Senior Project Manager for over 30 years. Graduating from Tuscola High School in 1988, Lewis went on to attend Wingate University, majoring in business administration.

Lewis has actively served his community as President of the United Way of Haywood County, Chairman of Haywood Vocational Opportunities, and President of the Waynesville Sunrise Rotary. He is also a dedicated member of First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. In his free time, Lewis enjoys raising cattle, fishing, traveling, and spending quality time with friends and family.

As a current board member of Haywood EMC, Lewis understands the importance of building relationships by listening and advocating for its members. Lewis is committed to using his experience and knowledge to represent the cooperative's members and make a meaningful contribution to the community.

Contact
Mr. Lewis Clark
lewis.clark@haywoodemc.com
258 Flat Rock Gap Rd. 
Waynesville, NC 28785
(828) 506-0743
 

District Number 5 - Betsy’s Gap, Crawford Road, Fines Creek, Hepco Road, Iron Duff, Max Patch, Panther Creek, Riverside, Rush Fork, Silvers Cove, White Oak, Cove Creek. Northwest side of Hwy. 209 from Upper Crabtree Road to the intersection of Hwy. 209 and I-40.  North side of Coleman Mountain Road to Hwy. 276 Jonathan Creek.  North of the wind tunnel at Bob Boyd Road, Sutton Town, Cove Creek, to the Tennessee state line.  Including surrounding communities.

Bio
About 92 percent of the co-op's revenue comes from residential customers. When our members tell us they need something, we listen. Our surge suppression and back-up generator programs came as we tried to respond to what the members wanted. I like that the co-op communicates and listens to what our members say they need. I'm a retired dairy farmer, so I also know how important reliable, modern electric service is to a farm or business. I represent the members in my district, but I keep an eye out for our farmers system-wide, too. Everybody is equal in a cooperative, and no member is more important than another.

Contact
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer
Mr. David Noland
D.Noland@haywoodemc.com
2471 Fines Creek Road
Clyde, NC 28721
(828) 627-1561 (Home)
(828) 627-6394 (Fax)
(828) 507-1991 (Cellular)

District Number 6 - All HEMC member-owners in Buncombe County

Bio
Mr. Israel is a lifelong resident of Upper Hominy, graduated from Enka High School, and in 2002 graduated with a B.S. in Horticulture Science at NC State University.  Mr. Israel is the co-owner, along with his wife, at Jesse Israel and Sons Garden Center in Asheville, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce 2022 Family Business of the year, and still operates a six-generation century farm. Mr. Israel resides in Candler with his wife Heather and daughter McKinley. 

One of the principles of the cooperatives is democratic member control. The Board represents the members and we are accountable to you.

Contact
Vice President
Mr. Alan Israel
a.israel@haywoodemc.com
77 Lon Israel Rd.
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 273-4580

District Number 7 - South of U.S. 64 from Brevard to the South Carolina State line and U.S. 64 to the intersection of NC 281/Lower White-Water Road then northwest to the Jackson County line. Sapphire Lakes, Connestee Falls, East Fork, Flat Creek, Frozen Creek, Indian Camp, Lyons Mountain Road, Middle Fork, Nancy Mountain, Old Toxaway, Rosman, Walnut Hollow. Including surrounding communities.

Bio
Thomas “Chip” Webb and his wife, Debbie, relocated to the Connestee Falls Community from the Raleigh area in 2017, after spending 40 years working for Carolina Power & Light, Progress Energy and Duke Energy Progress.

Chip graduated from North Carolina State University with an Engineering Degree and worked in various jobs within the electric utility industry, including working with Electric Cooperatives inside the Progress Energy service area. Chip and his wife are enjoying mountain life and their grand kids living in Brevard.

Contact
Mr. Thomas "Chip" Webb
1181 Soquili Dr.
Brevard, NC 28712
C.Webb@haywoodemc.com
(828) 966-9292
 

Bio
Mr. Batchelor brings over 30 years of cooperative knowledge and experience to this position. He began in the electrical utility business in 1982 after graduating from NC State University with the City of Monroe and has since worked for two other cooperatives and an electrical consulting firm before coming to Haywood EMC in 1999 as Assistant General Manager/Manager of Operations and Engineering. He is a registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Contact
Executive Vice President & CEO
Mr. Tom Batchelor, PE
tom.batchelor@haywoodemc.com
376 Grindstone Road
Waynesville, NC 28785
828-452-2281