‹ Back to Light Flashes

Your West Florida Board of Trustees has appointed David Tatum of Altha, Florida, to fill the District 1 Board of Trustees seat left vacant by the passing of long-time trustee, Mr. Ellis Nichols. Mr. Tatum has been a West Florida Electric member, living in District 1, for 30 years.

Mr. Tatum’s career in public service began in 1979. He served three terms as Sheriff of Calhoun County and retired in 2013 after 33 years of public service. 81993002

During his career, Mr. Tatum attended hundreds of hours of administrative training, public safety training, risk management, career development and continuing education classes. He also served two terms on the Florida Sheriffs Association Board of Directors and the Calhoun County Senior Citizens Association Board of Directors. He has also served two terms on the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement, Inc. Board of Directors and is an Ordained Deacon at Altha First Baptist Church. He is a lifetime member of the Florida Sheriffs Association, a non-profit that provides support and training to all 67 sheriffs and their staff in the State of Florida.

Since his retirement in 2013, most of his time has been spent on service projects doing construction. He says that he enjoys all aspects of building and mixes that with his desire to serve others. In 2015, he began offering guided quail hunts with his German Shorthaired Pointers. He also enjoys woodworking and sometimes makes furniture and cabinets for the service projects in which he is involved.

He is the son of Newton and Kathryn Tatum and has been married to Lori (Carpenter) Tatum, the daughter of Alton and Connie Carpenter, since 1984. They have one son, Zach, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

“I am very appreciative of the Board of Trustees for selecting me to complete the term of my friend, Ellis Nichols. I will strive to carry out the duties of a trustee in a manner that will honor the dedication and love Ellis had for WFEC, the employees and members served by the co-op,” said Tatum.