Colorado Rural Electric Association

Ray Clifton is the executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA), the statewide trade association for Colorado's electric cooperatives, a position he assumed in 1986. Ray started his career in the utility industry working as a part time employee with the Georgia Statewide Association of Electric Cooperatives. While with the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation he worked with rural people and rural issues organizing community economic development projects; served as the editor of the Rural Georgia magazine; directed a program designed to create a better understanding between local, state, and federal organizations and the electric membership corporations; and served as the director of legislative affairs. As CREA's Executive Director, Ray is responsible for the operations of CREA. This includes the legislative activities of the electric cooperatives both at the state and national levels; the activities of the co-ops' political action committee, CARE; the Publications Department that produces a monthly magazine mailed to over 160,000 consumers; a Loss Control Department that provides a total risk management program including job training and safety and regulatory compliance; and an education program that provides training to directors and employees. Since assuming the duties at CREA, Ray has been awarded Colorado Power Council's Leader In The Industry Award; he served as chairman of the Retail Wheeling Coalition, an organization whose focus was on electric industry restructuring; and he served as president of the Rural Electric Statewide Manager's Association. Ray was also very proud when the magazine, Colorado Country Life, won two George Haggard Awards in back-to-back consecutive years, 1988 & 1989. The Haggard Award is given each year to a rural electric publication for outstanding journalism. Ray is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Angela, have been married for 40 years and are the parents of two grown children.