United Cooperative Services Executive Staff
IntegrityAccountability InnovationCommitment
to Community
General Manager/CEO
Ray Beavers
Ray Beavers, who began his career with United in 1999, provides leadership and direction throughout the organization. Prior to 1999, Mr. Beavers had 22 years of experience in the electric cooperative industry and is the former CEO of Southwest Rural Electric Cooperative in Tipton, Oklahoma. He also worked in positions with Cotton Electric Cooperative in Walters, Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.
The wonderful success of the cooperative philosophy for distribution utilities has stimulated the organization of cooperatives for generation & transmission utilities, statewide organizations dealing with utility supplies and safety/construction training and national organizations using the economies of scale to provide employee benefits and necessary industry education to the public. United reaps many benefits as members of these types of organizations and one of Mr. Beaver's major roles is maintaining United's voice in industry affairs. As CEO of United, a day in the life of Mr. Beavers may take him from an early morning visit with a customer to an employee meeting, from a civic luncheon to the Board Room and then to the airport to travel as the chairperson on a committee for the statewide or national association. Throughout these endeavors, Mr. Beavers' top priorities are safety for the members and the employees, service value, honesty, integrity and communication.
Mr. Beavers has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in economics and business administration from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. He and his family are members of the First Christian Church in Cleburne, Texas.
Chief Financial Officer
Lynn Godfrey
Lynn Godfrey joined the management staff of United Cooperative Services in 1989 with seven years of previous electric cooperative industry experience. Mr. Godfrey's responsibilities include oversight of accounting, billing, work order processing and related computer applications. By nature, electric cooperatives are "capital intensive," i.e. major expenditures are made to construct distribution plant and it takes many years to recover the initial cost of the investment. Therefore, Mr. Godfrey must perform the long-term planning for cost controls, rate analysis and financing to ensure consistent funding of operations and construction.
Mr. Godfrey grew up in Baird, Texas and earned a B.B.A. from Abilene Christian University with an accounting major. He and his family are members of the Burleson Church of Christ and Mr. Godfrey serves as an officer for both the Burleson Rotary Club and CASA of Johnson County (a non-profit organization that trains and supports volunteers that work with displaced children).
Chief Operating Officer
Barry McWilliams
Barry McWilliams began working at United in 1993 after 20 years with international manufacturing companies working as an upper level manager in sales, warehouse/shipping, labor administration and production scheduling.
Mr. McWilliams and his employees provide a wide range of necessary resources from employee safety and daily employee motivation/training to inter-departmental operational transitions and career planning. He also monitors employee benefit security, asset protection and employee production measurement and achievement. Along with all of the employees of United, Mr. McWilliams is motivated in implementing benchmarking and best practices techniques to provide unsurpassed efficient and safe operations of the members' cooperative.
Mr. McWilliams is a native of Cleburne, Texas and has a Bachelor of Science degree from University of North Texas. He and his family are members of the Cleburne Bible Church and he serves as a director for the Members Credit Union.
Senior Vice President - Cooperative Planning
Cameron Smallwood
In 1998, Cameron Smallwood began his already distinguished career with United. His responsibilities include the oversight of planning for distribution plant requirements (four year and longer range work plans), coordination of substation and transmission requirements with Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, testing and grading of electric plant facilities and the implementation of new technologies for distribution plant, telecommunications and computer applications. Mr. Smallwood has the responsibility of making long-range decisions while dealing with moving targets and changing technologies.
The future of the transmission and distribution grids for the electric industry has many challenges and opportunities but Mr. Smallwood will use his expertise to coordinate, plan and investigate the many options presented to the co-op. He is aware of the balance between technology and the personal attention United members have grown to expect.
Mr. Smallwood earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Bioengineering from Texas A&M University with Electrical Engineering emphasis, a Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech University and is licensed to practice as a Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. He also is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), a past chairman of the IEEE Rural Electric Power Committee and past president of the Texas Engineers Cooperative Association. Mr. Smallwood has published numerous papers on utility technologies and has served on several national technology committees. He and his family are members of Bethel Temple Assembly of God in Cleburne and he serves on several civic boards in the community.
Senior Vice President - System Engineering
Quentin Howard
Quentin Howard began his career with United in 1992. His main areas of concern cover field engineering, staking, meter reading, delinquent collections and administration of construction contractors. These responsibilities require the pre-planning of many procedures into one cohesive process that needs to be performed according to specific time frames. In regards to planning for new service locations, Mr. Howard's goal is to educate customers in regard to United's role and introduce other possible players e.g. land owners that may need to provide easements, city/county/state agencies, contractors, etc.
Mr. Howard earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University. Currently an Engineer-in-Training, he is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and past president of the Texas Electric Cooperatives Engineering Association. Mr. Howard is also a member and past president of the Stephenville Optimist Club.
Vice President - Marketing
Landy Bennett
Landy Bennett began working for United in April 1989. Before coming to the cooperative, he was an assistant vice president and lending officer at the First National Bank in Cleburne.
Mr. Bennett's many years of experience with customer service provides him with the expertise and methods to help United members with their electric service needs. Marketing for the co-op not only means the overall communication of United's service offerings and philosophies, but also involves the implementation of specific services for specific customers. As the supervisor of customer service, member programs, and industrial client contracts, Mr. Bennett's goal is to add a personal touch and knowledge base that assists, rather than frustrates. He also leads his staff in coordinating United's Operation RoundUp program with non-profit organizations such as Texas Neighborhood Services, which provide financial assistance to United customers, as well as meeting other needs of the members.
One of the main concepts that separate electric cooperatives from other electric utilities is the belief that we each have the responsibility and privilege of giving back to the communities in which we serve. This has been evident in Mr. Bennett's personal involvement with leadership roles in various civic groups, United Way, Cleburne Jaycees (past president), Cleburne's Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (treasurer) and basketball, baseball and soccer programs for area youth. His accomplishments and involvement was recognized by the Cleburne community when he was honored as a past recipient of the Cleburne Citizen of the Year award. Mr. Bennett earned a bachelor's degree in agri-business from Tarleton State University. A resident of Cleburne for the past 30 years, he and his family are members of the First Baptist Church in Cleburne.
Vice President - Communications
Marty Haught
For more than a decade Marty Haught has worked for various sectors of the electric utility industry. Having spent time with municipal, investor-owned, and finally electric cooperative utilities, Mr. Haught discovered his principles aligned perfectly with those of member-owned electric co-ops. Mr. Haught joined United Cooperative Services as Vice President of Communications in December 2006 after spending the previous four years directing communications, member education and media/public relations efforts for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives national headquarters in Arlington, Va.
Communications is an essential component of the electric cooperative business model. As a transparent organization, owned by the members it serves, Mr. Haught and all United employees adhere to cooperative principle #5 - Education, Training and Information - which obligates them to:
Provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives.
The ability to have an open dialogue with a utility has diminished over the years. Unlike their for-profit counterparts, however, electric cooperatives demonstrate how they're different every day by proactively seeking out ways to connect with, and better serve, their members. That type of communications effort truly demonstrates the advantage of being a member of United Cooperative Services.
Mr. Haught is a native Virginian where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Virginia Tech University.
Vice President - Field Operations
Murray McCollum
Murray McCollum began his career with United in 1977 as a meter reader. Working his way up through the ranks from apprentice lineman to manager of field operations, McCollum has dedicated himself to being a model employee and leader within the cooperative, regardless of which position he held. During his tenure at United, Mr. McCollum has been responsible for evaluating, coordinating, teaching and directing the many facets of the construction and maintenance of the cooperative's distribution system. In addition, he manages the dispatching of crews during major outages. For five years, McCollum also served as guest instructor for the Texas A&M Extension Service in job training and safety.
He has obtained the admiration and respect of his peers and colleagues as a result of his work ethic and commitment to the cooperative principles. In his role as vice president of field operations, Mr. McCollum maintains a focus that always keeps the members' interests at the forefront of everything he does. In understanding the needs of the United members, he recognizes how imperative it is that all United departments work cohesively in order to better serve the members.
Mr. McCollum and his wife are lifelong natives of Cleburne, Texas. They have two children and three grandchildren. The McCollums are members of Cleburne Bible Church where they serve with the Connected Hearts Ministry.
