Company Website: http://www.empiredistrict.com
JOPLIN, Mo. -- (Business Wire)

Following yesterday’s board meeting of The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE:EDE), Mr. D. Randy Laney, board chairman, announced changes to the senior management team. The board has elected Mr. Mark Timpe, treasurer; Ms. Jan Watson, secretary; and Mr. Dale Harrington, assistant secretary. The board also re-elected Mr. Rob Sager, assistant secretary and assistant treasurer. These changes are effective immediately.

Mr. Timpe joined Empire as director of Financial Services in August 2014. His responsibilities include day-to-day treasury activities, financing, budgeting and financial forecasting. Mr. Timpe holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Finance and a Masters of Business Administration from St. Louis University.

Prior to joining Empire, Mr. Timpe spent over 21 years with Con-way Truckload/CFI in Joplin where he served as CFI’s treasurer for 16 years and as director in the Finance Department and assistant treasurer for Con-way Truckload for six years.

Ms. Watson joined Empire in 1994 and was elected secretary-treasurer in 1995, and will continue to be responsible for all aspects of the corporate secretary function.

Ms. Watson graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Accounting with special emphasis in Computer Science.

Mr. Harrington joined the Company in June 1989 and has held various positions in Auditing, Human Resources and Financial Services. He currently serves the Company as director of Investor Relations and is responsible for the Company’s SEC reporting functions. He will continue in that role.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Accounting at Missouri Southern State University.

Mr. Rob Sager has been with Empire since 2006, initially serving as director of Financial Services. He was named to his current position, controller, assistant secretary/assistant treasurer, in July 2011 and continues in that role. He also serves as the company’s principal accounting officer.

Mr. Sager received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Accounting from Pittsburg State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Based in Joplin, Missouri, The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE: EDE) is an investor-owned, regulated utility providing electricity, natural gas (through its wholly owned subsidiary The Empire District Gas Company), and water service, with approximately 217,000 customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. A subsidiary of the company provides fiber optic services. For more information regarding Empire, visit www.empiredistrict.com.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.Such statements address future plans, objectives, expectations, and events or conditions concerning various matters.Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements, by reason of the factors noted in our filings with the SEC, including the most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q.

Contacts:

The Empire District Electric Company
Media Communications:
Amy Bass,417-625-5114
Director, Corporate Communications
abass@empiredistrict.com
or
Investor Relations:
Dale Harrington, 417-625-4222
Director, Investor Relations
dharrington@empiredistrict.com

Source: The Empire District Electric Company