Mikel Lee Perry was appointed as the District 1 board member in July after Pat Carlyle retired due to illness.

Perry graduated from Auburn University with a degree in finance. Upon graduation, he took the Florida Real Estate exam and began working in realty. Perry became a broker, co-founded a real estate company and owned his own business before deciding to go into development.

After the downturn in the market in 2008, Perry developed Azland Mining, LLC, which supplies materials for construction. He also designed the first class three, line landfill in Northwest Florida. It is designed to have zero ground water contamination.

Perry has served on the Walton County Planning Commission since 2009. He formed the Citizens Against Tolls Political Action Committee to promote a one cent sales tax versus a toll for Walton County.

Perry lives in Grayton Beach with his wife, Margie.

CEO Steve Rhodes said, “I look forward to getting to know Mr. Perry and have no doubt he will be an asset to the board of trustees and will represent our members well.” 

CHELCO is a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving more than 53,000 accounts in Walton, Okaloosa, Holmes and Santa Rosa counties.