Ancell, Irani Join TEC Board

August 23, 2022

The 53 voting delegates in attendance at the TEC Annual Meeting in August elected Dale Ancell, general manager of South Plains EC, representing Group 5, and Avan Irani, CEO of Nueces EC, representing Group 7, to three-year terms on the statewide association’s board of directors.

The new board selected Kelly Lankford, executive vice president and CEO of Concho Valley EC, as its new chair. He replaces Gary Raybon, general manager and CEO of Wharton County EC, whose term ended at the meeting.

The 2022–23 TEC Board of Directors
Chair: Kelly Lankford, Concho Valley EC, Group 4
Vice chair: Neil Hesse, PenTex Energy, Group 3
Secretary-treasurer: Avan Irani, Nueces EC, Group 7
Doug Turk, Sam Houston EC, Group 1
Brandon Young, Heart of Texas EC, Group 2
Dale Ancell, South Plains EC, Group 5
Julie Parsley, Pedernales EC, Group 6

In his report to the membership, Raybon thanked his family and board back home in El Campo for their support, and he commended the staff of the statewide association for responding to the needs of its members.

“TEC is a well-oiled organization that strives to anticipate the needs and wants of its members, and it works to improve itself through feedback,” he said.

Raybon affirmed his commitment to the co-op business model, praising the community focus that gives electric cooperatives a leg up with consumers, and he ended by appealing for unity.

“You are the light and guiding force of Texas electric cooperatives,” he said. “TEC is only as strong as its members. I urge each co-op in this room to work together to find common ground, become involved and support TEC so that TEC can support us.”