Our Employees
Utility Sales

Jonathan Oliver
Vice President
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Phone: 501.570.2321
- Email: jonathan.oliver@aeci.com
Jonathan Oliver is vice president of utility sales and services for Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI). Oliver, a resident of Little Rock, joined AECC in 1995 and served in a variety of engineering and construction roles prior to being named vice president in the fall of 2008. Oliver has a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a professional engineer, master electrician, project management professional and active member of many industry associations.
Sales

Bret Curry
Manager, Sales
- Department: Utility Sales
- Phone: 501.570.2330
- Email: bret.curry@aeci.com
Bret began his electric utility industry career in 1980, with the Bluffton (IN) Municipal Electric Department. Curry was hired in August 1987, and served in various roles including project coordination, inside/outside sales, and Manager of Procurement and Inventory. In 2001, he transitioned to AECC and served as Manager of Energy Marketing until September 2017, when he returned to AECI’s Utility Sales department as Manager-Sales. Curry earned a bachelor’s degree in management from California Coast University. He also retains FLIR Level II thermographer credentials.

Clay Currey
Supervisor, Inside Sales
- Department: Utility Sales
- Phone: 501.570.2332
- Cell: 870.245.8056
- Email: clay.currey@aeci.com
Clay (no relation to Bret) has sales and customer service experience from his tenure in the telecommunications and postal sectors. He began working for AECI in 2018. Clay enjoys family, wakeboarding, golf, and softball. Clay earned a bachelor of general studies from Henderson State University where he also played Division II baseball.

Ted Reed
Senior Sales Coordinator
- Department: Utility Sales
- Phone: 501.570.2328
- Email: ted.reed@aeci.com
Ted’s experience in the utility sales industry started in 2014, after working the previous 5-years in industrial sales. He has a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech in professional studies, and also played Division II football for the Wonder Boys. Ted enjoys time with his family, traveling, cooking, and weightlifting.

Clint Hilson
Senior Sales Coordinator
- Department: Utility Sales
- Phone: 501.570-23
- Email: clint.hilson@aeci.com
Clint has over thirty years of experience in the construction industry, investing the last six years in utility sales. While in utility sales, he worked for a distributorship with cooperative account responsibilities in Arkansas and Missouri. He attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Clint has been married for over twenty-four years. He and his wife have two sons who are students at Henderson State University. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, watching sports, and grilling.

Johnathon Carmichael
Senior Sales Coordinator
- Department: Utility Sales
- Phone: 501.570.2333
- Email: johnathon.carmichael@aeci.com
Johnathon started with AECI in 2017, at the cooperatives’ vendor managed warehouse facility in Benton, AR. His transition to sales provides over 10-years of customer service and warehouse management experience assets. Johnathon loves his family & sports. On the weekends, you could find him out playing golf & softball, at the movies or cooking a delicious dinner for his family!

Dylan Harris
Sales Coordinator II
- Department: Utility Sales
- Phone: 501.570.2322
- Cell: 501.317.0545
- Email: dylan.harris@aeci.com
Dylan’s sales and customer service experience come from the automotive industry. He started at AECI in 2022. Dylan studied engineering at the University of Arkansas. In his free time, he assists with the training program for the Benton Junior High football team and enjoys weight lifting, shooting pool, and miscellaneous hobbies. He enjoys learning to build engines and computers.

Victoria Lamb
Manager, Business Operations
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Phone: 501-570-2469
- Email: victoria.lamb@aeci.com
Victoria is the Manager of Business Operations at Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI). She has been with The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas since 1993 and has served in various roles, including long and short-term load forecasting, transmission planning, and finance. Victoria has a master’s degree in management and business ethics from Harding University and a bachelor’s degree in geography/GIS from the University of Central Arkansas. She transitioned from the manager of load forecasting for AECC to AECI in July 2018. Her passions are her family, faith, and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.
Technical Products Engineer

Position Open!
Technical Products Engineer
- Area: Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and, Missouri
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Visit www.ecark.org
Do you possess professional sales and business acumen? The core values, disciplines, and sales savvy required of a Technical Products Engineer? Are you interested in working for a company with great benefits, 401K, and a pension plan?
If so, visit www.aecc.com/careers and search “Sales” for career opportunities.
Arkansas

Matt Whitley
- Title: Field Representative
- Area: Arkansas
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 501-617-6562
- Email: matt.whitley@aeci.com
Matt became a member of the AECI sales team in 2018. His experience in the utility sales industry started in 2012. Prior to that, he has over 7 years’ experience in industrial sales. He enjoys family, friends, cooking, golf, boating, and is an avid Arkansas Razorbacks fan. Matt has a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Arkansas State University.
Louisiana

Thomas Schwab
- Title: Field Sales Representative
- Area: Louisiana
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 225-603-1579
- Email: thomas.schwab@aeci.com
Thomas has over 30-years experience in sales, customer service, and marketing. He has extensive knowledge of supply-chain from his background as a vendor, and manufacturer’s representative. Thomas joined AECI in 2018, and handles the public power market in Louisiana. Thomas and his family resides in Baton Rouge and in his spare time he enjoys fishing, boating, and golf.
Mississippi

Wayne Garner
- Title: Field Representative
- Area: Mississippi
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 601-964-1202
- Email: wayne.garner@aeci.com
Wayne is no stranger to the electric utility industry. As a teenager, he began working at a local supply house in the mid-1990s. Upon earning a business degree at the University of Southern Mississippi, Wayne transitioned into various roles including purchasing and utility sales. Wayne joined AECI in 2018, and handles the public power market in Mississippi.
Northern Missouri

Jason Adams
- Title: Field Representative
- Area: Northern Missouri
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 573-286-1915
- Email: jason.adams@aeci.com
Jason has over two decades of journeyman lineman experience including metering installation and application. During that tenure he worked for the City of Monett for four years, then invested 17-years with New Mac Electric Cooperative. In 2014, Jason made a career change and transitioned into the utility sales industry. Since then he has worked for both regional and national distributors.
In his free time Jason enjoys family, hunting, fishing and the great outdoors.
Southern Missouri

John Russell
- Title: Field Representative
- Area: Southern Missouri
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 417.849.2856
- Email: john.russell@aeci.com
John’s career in the electric utility industry began in 1985. He gained supply-chain and sales experience while working for two distributor entities prior to coming aboard AECI in 2001.
Oklahoma

Craig Cooper
- Title: Field Representative
- Area: Oklahoma
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 918.607.4655
- Email: craig.cooper@aeci.com
Craig began working in the electric utility industry in 1984 when he worked at Verdigris Valley Elect. Coop. in Collinsville, OK. He later transitioned into the distributor supply chain, working for two electric utility distributors before joining the AECI team in 2014.
He received an Associate’s Degree from Rogers State College. Craig likes watching the Sooners and Steelers during football season and enjoys fishing, boating, and floating in the healing waters of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Northeastern Oklahoma.

Jubal Hooker
- Title: Field Representative
- Area: Oklahoma
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Cell Phone: 918.688.2452
- Email: jubal.hooker@aeci.com
In 1983, Jubal began his journey in the electric utility industry working for a pole line construction contractor. The field experience helped him gain industry knowledge that led to a career transition into distributor sales in 1984. He joined the AECI team in 2000 and covers the public power markets in Oklahoma. An avid Oklahoma State fan, Jubal enjoys sports and family during his downtime. Also, Jubal has a BA in Communications.
Transportation & Inventory Operations

Todd Hollis
Sr. Manager, Inventory & Fulfillment
- Division: Utility Sales & Services
- Phone: 501.570.2360
- Email: todd.hollis@aeci.com
Having joined Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. in 2022, Todd Hollis is the Senior Manager of Inventory & Fulfillment for the Utility Sales & Services division. In his role, Todd oversees logistics, inventories, fulfillment, vendor-managed inventories, and distribution centers. He has over 31 years in the logistics industry and has served in various roles, including operations, outside sales, and manufacturing support. Todd has a bachelor’s degree in Logistics from Arkansas State University – Jonesboro.
Construction & Right-of-Way

Joe Ritchie
Director, Construction & Right-of-Way
- Division: Utility Services
- Phone: 501.570.2129
- Cell Phone: 501.414.5226
- Email: joe.ritchie@aeci.com
Joe Ritchie is the Director of Construction & Right-of-Way Services at Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. (AECI). He began his career with AECI in July 2015. He has 13 years of Utility Vegetation Management experience, having worked for both electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities. Joe possesses a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
High Voltage Test Lab

Greg Varner
Manager, High Voltage Test Lab
- Division: Utility Services
- Phone: 501.570.2351
- Email: greg.varner@aeci.com
Greg started with AECI in 1983, working his way up the ladder by learning all roles, processes, and operations within the lab.