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The search for West Florida Electric Cooperative’s (WFEC) Executive Vice President and CEO (EVP & CEO) has concluded. Shawn Walling has been hired to serve as the cooperative’s EVP & CEO. He will begin his new endeavor August 7, 2023.

Walling comes to West Florida Electric Cooperative from Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative in  Lewistown, Missouri where he served as General Manager for the past two years. His 22-year career includes experience in electric generation, transmission, and distribution. He has designed, built, and operated power plants as well as transmission lines and equipment. Most of his career in the utility industry has been in the engineering and operations sector, working for electric cooperatives in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Academically, Walling possesses both a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arkansas as well as an MBA from Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Walling is a native of Salem, Arkansas and follows in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps as a third-generation cooperative employee. He is moving to WFEC’s service territory with his wife, Shelly, and daughter, Madison. The couple also has four adult children, one Marine, three airmen, and a son-in-law who is also an airman. Shelly is a registered nurse who has worked in the ER, ICU, and with hospice and home health agencies.

“My family and I are very excited to be moving to a rural area. We look forward to getting involved in the communities WFEC serves. I am very happy to be joining an organization that provides electricity to its members. Together with the employees at WFEC, we will continue to execute West Florida Electric’s mission to provide safe, reliable, and affordable energy to meet the needs of our member-owners,” said Walling.

Please join WFEC’s Board of Trustees in welcoming the Walling Family to our area and to the co-op family at West Florida Electric. We believe Walling’s education, work experience and knowledge of the electric cooperative industry makes him a great asset to our cooperative, its members, and employees.