Gerald Hayes, who served as CEO for the final eight of his 40 years at Warren RECC, Bowling Green, KY, died April 23 at the age of 70.

Hayes began his career at the cooperative on May 6, 1968. He became an apprentice lineman in 1969, a lineman in 1970 and line foreman in 1979. He took over one of the cooperative’s district offices in 1990, then became Warren RECC’s president/CEO in 2000.

Hayes sat on the TVPPA Board of Directors from 2001 to 2004. He retired from Warren RECC May 6, 2008 – 40 years to the day after beginning his career there – and was accorded Honorary Member status by TVPPA at that year’s Annual Conference.