Cooperative Council Honors Four Distinguished Cooperators from EMCs

Four cooperative veterans received recognition on March 17 from the Georgia Cooperative Council as Distinguished Cooperators. The 2025 honorees are Matt Brinson (Planters EMC), Marshall Millwood (Sawnee EMC), Tim Williams (GreyStone Power) and Don Wood (Middle Georgia EMC).

The Georgia Cooperative Council’s Distinguished Cooperator award recognizes and honors individuals for their outstanding achievement and service to the cooperative business model. The council represents cooperatives who operate in a wide variety of industries including credit unions, farm credit associations, supply cooperatives, marketing and services cooperatives, telecommunications and electric cooperatives. Council membership is open to the more than 300 cooperatives across Georgia.

Nominees for distinguished cooperator may be a director, agent, professional, public official, or other individual who deserves recognition for his or her commitment to cooperatives and efforts on behalf of a cooperative.


PHOTO: At its annual meeting on March 17, the Georgia Cooperative Council presented Distinguished Cooperator Awards to 2025 honorees (pictured left to right) Marshall Millwood (Sawnee EMC), Tim Williams (GreyStone Power), Matt Brinson (Planters EMC) and Don Wood (Middle Georgia EMC).

About Matt Brinson
Matt Brinson learned nearly every aspect of the electric cooperative business during his extensive career at Planters EMC[EM1], beginning as a warehouse clerk in 1976. During his tenure, he held roles as plant accountant, manager of administrative services and assistant manager before ultimately serving as general manager from 1999 until his semi-retirement, announced March 1, 2025. In addition to his 48 years of service at Planters EMC, he has also served on the Go Energy Credit Union Board, the Smarr EMC Board and the Georgia Energy Cooperative Board. He and his wife are active members of West Millen Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon

About Marshall Millwood
Marshall Millwood has served as a director on the Sawnee EMC Board for 32 years. He is widely known as a considerate, professional and a genuinely honest person who always has the best interests of the co-op and its member-owners in mind. In addition to his Sawnee EMC director position, he has served on the board for both Georgia EMC and Oglethorpe Power Corp. (OPC). During his time on the OPC board, he was involved in the process of bringing Plant Vogtle Nuclear Units 3 and 4 online, making a lasting impact on serving Georgia’s future energy needs. Millwood is a Credentialed Cooperative Director and regularly participates in NRECA events on the regional and national level to ensure he stays abreast of key topics affecting the electric industry. He is the founder and owner of Marjomil, Inc., a successful poultry business located in Forsyth County. He served on the Forsyth County Hospital Authority and has been an active member of Harmony Grove Baptist Church for over 40 years, serving as a deacon since 1980. Millwood is a U.S. Veteran and honorably served his country in Vietnam.

About Tim Williams
Tim Williams began his career at GreyStone Power in 1984, initially serving as an editorial specialist, ultimately working his way up to his current role of vice president of marketing and external affairs. Among his major projects is the rebranding of GreyStone Power from its previous name of Douglas EMC in 1988 as the co-op began to see significant growth. He helped lead communication efforts during two major storm events – the Blizzard of 1993 and Hurricane Opal, which left 96% of GreyStone Power’s members without power. Williams has helped strengthen GreyStone Power’s legislative ties, both on the state and federal level, to ensure legislative and regulatory policies were in the best interest of the co-op’s members. Outside of his GreyStone Power duties, he has served on the Technical College System of Georgia State board since his appointment by Gov. Nathan Deal in 2013. He has also served as vice-chairman of the Go Energy Credit Union Board, chairman of the Douglas County Public Education Trust and chairman of the South Fulton chamber of Commerce Board.

About Don Wood
Don Wood has served as a director on the Middle Georgia EMC Board for 43 years, including serving 40 years as an officer. During his tenure, Wood has been a key leader in the implementation of Middle Georgia EMC’s automated meter reading system, upgrading the EMC’s lines from 7,200-volt to 14,400-volt power lines, major growth in irrigation loads with diesel to electric conversions and system expansion and improvement. He led the board to approve the recent partnership with Conexon, bringing high-speed internet to Middle Georgia EMC’s service area. Outside of his Middle Georgia EMC duties, he honorably served in the U.S. Air Force, completing two years of active duty and four years in the reserves. Following his service, he returned to Wilcox County and founded Wood Farms, Inc – a business he runs with his children. He is an active member of First Baptist Church of Rochelle, where he serves as a deacon and a dedicated Sunday school teacher.

About the Georgia Cooperative Council:
The Georgia Cooperative Council is a statewide, nonprofit cooperative association whose membership is composed of financial, electric, telephone, marketing and service cooperatives. The objective of the Council is to promote and encourage all types of cooperative associations in the state and to educate the public about the cooperative way of business.

About Georgia EMC:
Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state’s 41 electric cooperatives, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Collectively, Georgia’s customer-owned co-ops provide electricity and related services to 4.4 million people, nearly half of Georgia’s population, across 73 percent of the state’s land area. To learn more, visit www.georgiaemc.com and follow us on Facebook and X.