David A. Hamil

Inducted: 2001

David A. Hamil served as REA administrator for a record 14 years under four Presidents. His unwavering dedication to the rural electrification program has been legendary ever since he first got involved in 1939. As REA administrator, Hamil was instrumental in creating the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation as a new funding source for rural electrics. He also got the Federal Financing Bank to become the funding mechanism for REA guaranteed loans. That has saved electric cooperatives and their member-owners many millions of dollars, and it has been an annual source of the billions of dollars needed to finance power supply facilities in rural areas.

Hamil also played a decisive role in the creation and success of the Rural Telephone Bank, and served as its first Governor from 1971 to 1978.

Hamil’s ideas were not always popular within the administrations under which he served. But he fought for what he believed was right for rural America and effectively advocated for the continuation and growth of the REA. The result is rural electrification and telephone service for all of America.