(JOHNSON CITY, Texas) June 19, 2026 — Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) members in district 2 have elected Carlos St. James and district 3 members have reelected Mark Ekrut to serve three-year terms on the cooperative’s board of directors.
St. James takes over for longtime PEC board member Emily Pataki, who reached the board’s term limit after serving 12 years, most recently as PEC’s board president. Ekrut has served on PEC’s board since 2020.
“We want to thank Emily for her many years of service and leadership, and we’d like to congratulate Mark on another term and welcome Carlos to the board,” said PEC Board Secretary-Treasurer and District 4 Director Travis Cox. “This is an exciting time to be joining PEC. Together, we’ll continue to meet the needs of our growing membership while looking at ways to optimize our operations and ensure long-term health.”
The results of the election were presented by Survey and Ballot Systems, Inc., the independent, third-party company that handles the PEC’s election management services. For district 2, Carlos St. James won 55.1% of the votes. For district 3, Mark Ekrut won 53% of the votes. Approximately 7.3% of members across districts 2 and 3 voted in the election.
At the board’s regular June meeting, directors elected officers. Director Ekrut will serve as president, Director Graf as vice president, and Director Cox as secretary-treasurer.
Carlos St. James
St. James says he is committed to serving his community and addressing PEC rates. He joins PEC with more than two decades of experience in the electric power sector. St. James has served on the CleanTX board and worked in partnership with former U.S. Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson to establish the Middle East-Americas Energy Council. He co-founded the Argentine Renewable Energies Chamber, which in partnership with the local government and U.S. Embassy, helps establish policies that attract foreign investment in energy. He has also served on the board of the Latin American & Caribbean Council on Renewable Energy.
St. James has served as a member of Leander’s Parks and Recreation Committee, on the Leander Economic Development Committee, and on the city’s quinquennial Charter Review Commission. He established Keep Leander Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful and started another nonprofit, the Leander Foundation, to promote, protect and enhance sustainable growth in Leander and enhance the quality of life of its citizens.
He lives with his wife in Leander; they have raised five children between them.
Mark Ekrut
Ekrut has represented district 3 on the PEC Board since 2020. He is currently a municipal judge for the city of Jonestown and an active member of the Texas Municipal Court Association and the Sheriff’s Association of Texas. Ekrut has also earned certifications from the National Association of Corporate Directors, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and as a Texas mediator.
Ekrut has been a small business owner in Cedar Park for more than 30 years and is a member of the Lions Club. In his free time, he is a mentor to students at Lago Vista High School, an active volunteer and driver for the local food bank, a volunteer for the North Lake Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Friends of Balconies Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge.
A fourth-generation Texan, Ekrut and his wife of 35 years live in Jonestown.
