Created to Serve | Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

What is The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina?

The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. (ECSC) is the statewide trade association representing South Carolina's electric cooperatives. ECSC provides communications, government relations, legal, safety, training and other services to its member cooperatives.

ECSC represents 18 consumer-owned electric distribution cooperatives, along with a wholesale power supply cooperative, a transmission service cooperative and a materials supply cooperative.

Together, South Carolina's electric cooperatives serve more than 850,000 electric accounts in all 46 counties, providing electricity to nearly 2 million people.

Why was ECSC created?

South Carolina's electric cooperatives created a statewide organization in 1941 to represent their interests in the South Carolina General Assembly and to provide services more efficiently through shared resources.

That mission continues today.

Rather than requiring each cooperative to independently provide every specialized service it needs, ECSC provides services that can be delivered more efficiently through a statewide organization.

What services does ECSC provide?

ECSC provides a range of services and support to its member cooperatives, including:

Communications and public relations
Government relations
Legal services
Personnel training
Safety programs
Public affairs
Cooperative education
Member and community engagement

ECSC also provides information and resources to the public about electric cooperatives, energy, electrical safety and cooperative programs.

What is a statewide electric cooperative association?

ECSC and similar organizations in other states are commonly known in the electric cooperative industry as "statewide associations" or "statewides."

Statewide associations commonly provide services such as government relations, legal assistance, communications, employee training, safety programs and other shared resources.

ECSC is South Carolina's statewide electric cooperative association.

The History of ECSC

1941: South Carolina's electric cooperatives create a statewide association

South Carolina's electric cooperatives formed an organization in 1941 to represent them in the General Assembly and provide services that could be delivered more efficiently through shared resources.

The organization was originally known as the South Carolina Electric Cooperative Association. Its name was later changed to The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc.

Robert D. Bennett

Robert D. Bennett was hired in 1950 as the first general manager and executive vice president of the South Carolina Electric Cooperative Association.

Bennett retired in 1980.

Al J. Ballard

Al J. Ballard succeeded Bennett in 1980. A veteran lobbyist, Ballard previously worked in government relations with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in Washington, D.C., and led the Nebraska state association.

He served as head of the organization until his retirement in 1993.

Fred Cole

Fred Cole, who had joined the association in 1969 and served in public relations and government relations, became head of the organization in 1993.

Cole served as president and chief executive officer until his retirement in 2005.

Michael N. Couick

Michael N. Couick became president and chief executive officer in October 2005.

Before joining ECSC, Couick served as director of research for the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee and as chief counsel to the state's Judicial Merit Selection Commission and various legislative committees.

Couick retired in July 2025.

Ann Westbrook

On July 11, 2025, Ann Westbrook was named interim president and CEO.

Westbrook, who had previously served as ECSC's chief financial officer, returned from retirement to lead the association while its board conducted a search for a permanent president and CEO.

John Frick

In July 2026, the ECSC board named John Frick president and CEO.

Frick previously served as ECSC's senior vice president for public policy, where he spent more than two decades working with South Carolina's electric cooperatives on issues before the South Carolina General Assembly and Congress.

ECSC Today

Today, ECSC continues the mission established by South Carolina's electric cooperatives more than 80 years ago: providing services and representation that help its member cooperatives serve their members and communities.

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