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EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON

JOHNSON CITY — The Pedernales Electric Cooperative board of directors and Chief Executive Officer John Hewa officially parted ways May 25.

The board called an emergency meeting for 1 p.m. May 25 at the PEC headquarters in Johnson City. Hewa was not present at the meeting.

After the meeting, the PEC board and Hewa issued a “joint statement” posted on the cooperative’s website stating, “PEC’s Board of Directors and John D. Hewa jointly announced today that Mr. Hewa is resigning as PEC’s chief executive officer.”

According to the statement, Hewa is returning to Virginia to “pursue new career opportunities.”

Before joining PEC in July 2013 as the cooperative’s CEO, Hewa served as vice president of research, engineering, and technical services for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

PEC is the largest electric distributing cooperative in the nation with more than 280,000 active accounts, about 700 employees, and a coverage area of 8,100 square miles.

“I’m proud of PEC’s accomplishments in the four years that I served the cooperative,” Hewa said in the statement. “PEC is a remarkable organization with exceptionally talented employees. I wish the best for PEC in meeting its current challenges and the fast growth ahead for the Texas Hill Country.”

He added that he had shared “concerns and hopes for PEC” with board president Emily Pataki and the rest of the board “and, I’m confident that Board President Emily Pataki and the board will address each matter appropriately.”

“We wish John Hewa and his family the very best in his bright future and thank him for his service to the cooperative,” Pataki said in the statement.

During the meeting, the board assigned the CEO duties to current Chief Financial Officer Tracy Golden “until such a time as an interim chief executive officer is selected,” according to the statement.

daniel@thepicayune.com

10 thoughts on “PEC’s John Hewa resigns as CEO, returning to Virginia

  1. Here is the part you don’t know. This entire racist shenanigan was brought into PEC by board member Cristi Clement and former, defeated and disgruntled board member Larry Landaker. The two of them have always put their personal agendas ahead of doing what is right for members and employees since they were first elected. Mr. Landaker has a long history of negativity in his past. But during the last six months they have showed their true politically motivated identity and employees are outraged. The senseless killing of a San Antonio police officer by a murderous thug was an horrific crime that was mourned over by his family, friends, and fellow peace officers. We were all shaken by this terrible crime. However, it had nothing to do with providing safe, affordable, and reliable excellent electric service at PEC. Mrs. Clement and Mr. Landaker collaborated, along with their friends, to use this situation to try and unseat James Oakley for political gain. Employees and other board members fell for it those first few days after Mr. Hewa, knowingly or unknowingly, engaged in spreading Cristi and Larry’s agenda across the ranks. This is offensive to us as employees. We are a close, tight group of employees who care for each other and our families. Now, they are using it again to try and unseat Emily Pataki for standing up for the truth. Mrs. Clement and Mr. Landaker need to stop this personal attack on our cooperative. Mr. Landaker needs to find a job and something positive to do in his life. He has brought havoc here long enough. Members and employees need to stop allowing this to happen over and over. He used PEC for a pay check and a platform to listen to himself talk. We have found no one who cares for him. As for John, Sorry Mr. Hewa, as the Chief Executive Officer of this 80 year old organization, you should have known better. We wish you and your family well!

  2. This was all created by two individuals, Cristi Clement and Larry Landaker, to promote their hatred agendas for others who vote them out. It is a known fact that Cristi and Larry work together to get what they want even when they know they are wrong. These two individuals keep more negativity aimed at PEC members and employees than anyone or anything in its history. If this paper and any other would just do some investigative work the story would be told and these cowards would leave us alone. Employees realize we have been had now by Mr. Hewa, Mrs. Clement, and Mr. Landaker. PLEASE leave us alone!!!!!!!!!! No one here has done anything to provoke this attack. Especially by a board trustee such as Cristi Clement. We are SICK AND TIRED of your personal vendettas that have drug us through so much negativity. Landaker you are not wanted here any longer. STOP, STOP, STOP!!!!!! IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THIS THEN ASK AN EMPLOYEE OR AN INFORMED MEMBER!!!!!! You, Cristi, and all those people the two of you are recruiting to come and speak at the board meetings LOOK LIKE FOOLS! Members and employees don’t appreciate your hostility. Quit trying to make us look like this is a bad organization. We are PROUD of what we do here! YOU TWO make us look bad!! Shut up or get out!! Cristi Clement you are paid $50,000 a year to do nothing but complain and cause us all a lot of trouble. Go get on a little league board and see how long you will last with your trouble making agenda. I am a proud member and employee. From one employee and member to another: Take a stance against these two idiots now!!!!!!! Jerks, Jerks, Jerks!!!! There isn’t and employee at PEC who has any respect for the Cristi and Larry team. Get out, get out, get out!!!!!

  3. It is sad the press doesn’t know and tell the real story. This entire racist shenanigan was brought into PEC by board member Cristi Clement and former, defeated and disgruntled board member Larry Landaker. The two of them have always put their personal agendas ahead of doing what is right for members and employees since they were first elected. Mr. Landaker has a long history of negativity in his past. But during the last six months they have showed their true politically motivated identity and employees are outraged. The senseless killing of a San Antonio police officer by a murderous thug was an horrific crime that was mourned over by his family, friends, and fellow peace officers. We were all shaken by this terrible crime. However, it had nothing to do with providing safe, affordable, and reliable excellent electric service at PEC. Mrs. Clement and Mr. Landaker collaborated, along with their friends, to use this situation to try and unseat James Oakley for political gain. Employees and other board members fell for it those first few days after Mr. Hewa, knowingly or unknowingly, engaged in spreading Cristi and Larry’s agenda across the ranks. This is offensive to us as employees. We are a close, tight group of employees who care for each other and our families. Now, they are using it again to try and unseat Emily Pataki for standing up for the truth. Mrs. Clement and Mr. Landaker need to stop this personal attack on our cooperative. Mr. Landaker needs to find a job and something positive to do in his life. He has brought havoc here long enough. Members and employees need to stop allowing this to happen over and over. He used PEC for a pay check and a platform to listen to himself talk. We have found no one who cares for him. As for John, Sorry Mr. Hewa, as the Chief Executive Officer of this 80 year old organization, you should have known better. Good luck where ever you go.

  4. Oakley should resign. His arrogance and ignorance illustrate terrible leadership. He’s an embarrassment.

    1. Spec, do not BAD MOUTH MY JUDGE. Judge Oakley needs to be on this board, it is the scum that are liberals that do not belong here that need to leave.

  5. I am very sad that John Hewa is no longer leading the Pedernales Electric Cooperative. His leadership is excellent. The majority of the board now seems to be willing to allow the racist comments of board member James Oakley stand. And, they are ignoring the retribution against staff.

    They have shown no understanding of the role of members in a cooperative. Board president, Emily Pataki, now running for reelection, was instrumental in taking the vote away from the majority of members. Now, instead of the right of every member to vote for every board position, members will only be allowed to vote once every 3 years, and then for only one of 7 board positions.She has referred to this as “good governance”. This was done after the board voted to ignore two votes by the membership in favor of at large voting for board members. She should be defeated for reelection. James Oakley shuold resign.

    1. Please don’t be sad that John Hew is gone because we are not. There would not any word of the phrase that James Oakley said if it where not for Larry Landacker and Cristi Clements. The reason John Hewa is gone is that we where not going to let him and his over paid VP’s run this company in the ground. There is no retaliation in the company today. The only retaliation retaliation is that the people who got up and claimed it can’t fiigure how to get off the bus they got on when John stood up and supported them. It was a mere out cry for his lack of running this fine company. We have dusted our self’s off after what Bennie did to this company and put a thick layer of skin on to caring on the future with. We have all made mistakes in our choice of words in life. But when someone jumps on it like Larry, Cristi and John did and think that we are going to stand for it there sadly mistaken. So JOHN AND YOUR OVERPAID VP’S don’t let the the Lighting Bolt hit you on your way out. We will stand strong and carry on.

    2. His remark was not racist. If it was then why would the rest of the board allow it? And if there is retribution against staff then would it not be wise for those affected to come out publicly and tell the pec members what kind of retribution it was?

    3. Ann if you just only knew the truth you wouldn’t say what you said. None of this should have ever happened and wouldn’t have happened if a former board member wasn’t such a loser and would leave the members and fine employees alone and let us do our jobs. He is the responsible party here. A current board member lead Mr. Hewa down a wrong path and then he took the lead on his own. This is the result of political hatred and weak leadership and nothing more. Mr. Hewa did the right thing finally by resigning. This retaliation thing is the only thing they can hold onto now because the racist thing didn’t get rid of Oakley like they planted and planned. The whole thing is pathetic and sad but i was brought into the doors of PEC by two very messed up people. Employees would love to tell the story but are too scared to speak up. It Ain’t Right!!!!!!!!

    4. Ann, John Hewa DOES NOT BELONG IN TEXAS!! He did not know ANYTHING about PEC or Coops, as the Roy Clark song “Thank God and Greyhound He is Gone”.

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