Jonathan Dismang Named VP of External Affairs

Jonathan Dismang has been named Vice President of External Affairs for Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI).

"Jonathan Dismang has excelled at serving his constituents at the state level, and he will bring that same commitment to the 17 distribution cooperatives and their more than 1 million members," said Vernon "Buddy" Hasten, president/CEO of Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation and AECI. "Bringing a former state senator strengthens our ability to navigate complex policy environments and advocate effectively for the communities and members that we serve."

Dismang, who resigned as state senator, will join the cooperatives next month and succeed Bill Gossage as Chief of External Affairs for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas following his retirement in January 2027.

"During Bill's time with the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, he has championed our mission and core values while ensuring the cooperative message of reliability, affordability and responsibility was communicated to state and federal officials. We thank him for his dedication and wish him the best as he transitions into retirement," Hasten said.

Dismang served in the Arkansas Legislature since 2009, after his election to the House of Representatives. After one term in the House, Dismang was elected to the Senate in 2010. Dismang served as Senate President Pro Tempore during three general assemblies, including two consecutive terms to which he was elected by his Senate colleagues. He was the first senator since the 1930s to serve consecutive terms in the position.

He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics at Harding University with cum laude distinction.

"Electric cooperatives are rooted in the communities they serve and exist to make sure families, farmers, small businesses, schools and hospitals have reliable and affordable electricity," Dismang said. "In many ways, joining the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas allows me to continue doing what I have always tried to do as a public servant: listen to people, solve problems and work on behalf of the communities that call our state home."

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides services to the distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC), a generation and transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to more than 1 million members, or customers, in Arkansas and surrounding states.