HUGHESVILLE, Md. - Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) director George Purnell Frederick, who represented St. Mary's County on SMECO's Board of Directors for more than 29 years, retired as of March 31, 2007. Joseph Douglas Frederick of Loveville was recently selected to fill the seat vacated by the retiring director.
G. Purnell Frederick was elected to SMECO's Board of Directors in 1977. During his time on the board, Frederick received his Director's Certificate in 1993 and his Board Leadership Certificate in 1996 from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He also served as a member of the Board Public Relations and Bay Country Cooperative Committee.
A lifelong resident of St. Mary's County, Frederick is a retired employee of St. Mary's County Public Schools. Frederick also serves on the board of St. Mary's County Center for Life Enrichment and is a member of the American Legion Post 221. In addition, he is a member of the Holy Angels Church and the Knights of St. John's. Frederick served in the U.S. Army for three years.
J. Douglas Frederick was selected from a slate of five candidates to fill the vacant director's seat. Frederick, son of the former director, is a 35-year employee of the St. Mary's County Public School System and currently holds the position of Building Trades Team Leader in the Division of Supporting Services. He graduated from Chopticon High School and is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
In accordance with Cooperative Board Policy 1-7.1, a committee consisting of four directors from St. Mary's County and the Chairman of the Board selected J. Douglas Frederick from a pool of candidates for the position, and he was appointed at the regularly scheduled SMECO Board meeting on April 26, 2007. Frederick will be sworn into office on May 15.
SMECO is a customer-owned electric cooperative providing electricity to over 142,000 services in southern Prince George's County, and in Charles County, St. Mary's County, and all but the northeast portion of Calvert County. Co-ops are distinctly different from investor-owned utilities because co-ops are owned by their customers, and these members vote for men and women who sit on the Board of Directors.