Georgia Transmission Corporation’s (GTC’s) board of directors has announced that Barbara Hampton will succeed Jerry Donovan as president and CEO upon Donovan’s retirement scheduled for Jan. 15, 2021. Hampton has served as senior vice president and chief financial officer since 2005. 

Hampton has more than 34 years of experience in the energy industry in the areas of finance, accounting, auditing, budgeting, strategic planning, procurement, information technology and rate design. She served as vice president of GTC’s finance and administration department when the company was formed in 1997.

As GTC president & CEO, Hampton will lead a not-for-profit electric cooperative that is owned by, and delivers high voltage power to, 38 of Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives (EMCs). The state’s 41 customer-owned electric cooperatives provide electric service to nearly half the state’s population, across more than 70% of the state. GTC has 298 employees.

“In addition to impressive credentials, Barbara is a natural leader,” said GTC Board Chairman Charles R. Fendley. “She is level-headed and her sincerity and strategic thinking help her connect with the EMCs’ managers and employees as well as the financial community.” 

Hampton will oversee one of the nation’s few electric transmission-only businesses. As a member-owned cooperative, GTC plans, builds and maintains approximately 3,500 miles of electric power lines and more than 750 substations. 

Hampton holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Louisiana, a master’s degree from the University of Georgia and is a certified public accountant. She also serves as the current at-large financial expert on the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) board of directors. Gov. Nathan Deal appointed her in 2011 and again in 2018 to serve on the state board of education and she served as chair in 2012 and 2013. In addition, Hampton is a member of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business Emeritus and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce serving on the Operations Committee. She is a former chair of Leadership Georgia and former president of the National Generation and Transmission Accounting and Finance Association. She and her husband, Randy, live in Roswell and have two daughters, a son-in-law and a granddaughter.