JEA Executive Elected President of FMEA Board of Directors

2014-07-22

Jacksonville, FL - Members of the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) have elected Bud Para, chief public affairs officer for JEA, as president of the organization’s board of directors.

“Board members participate in regular meetings held across the state and are charged with setting the overall direction of the organization,” said Barry Moline, FMEA’s executive director.  “Bud has established himself as a strong leader on utility issues not only in Jacksonville, but throughout the state of Florida. We’re honored to have him serve as our president.”

“I am pleased to be chosen to serve as the president of FMEA’s board. This organization is helping our state’s electric industry stay at the forefront of the nation by keeping its members informed on legislative issues and providing safety, training and customer service resources,” said Para.

He added, “I think Benjamin Franklin said it best: ‘We must indeed all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.’ FMEA exemplifies this statement by bringing together our local communities to strengthen our focus on consumers.”

Para has been with JEA for more than 30 years. He represents JEA on the American Public Power Association’s Legislative and Resolutions Committee, and the Large Public Power Council. He is a registered professional engineer in Florida and earned his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Florida.

Other officers appointed to the FMEA board include President-Elect Mike New of Newberry; Vice President Nona Jones of Gainesville and Secretary-Treasurer Clay Lindstrom of Lake Worth.

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) represents the unified interests of 34 public power communities across the state, which provides electricity to more than 3 million of Florida’s residential and business consumers.

JEA is the seventh-largest community-owned electric utility in the United States and one of the largest water and sewer utilities in the nation providing electric, water and sewer service to residents and businesses in northeast Florida.

Category:

• corporate
• electric