Cleco history

Woodcock brought several years of experience to the task, having been involved in operating public utilities since the early 1920s.

However, in 1926 businessman Wiley Corl started up the Louisiana Ice & Utilities Company and began buying small, south-central Louisiana ice and electric utility companies, including the Bunkie plant.

In 1933, unable to pay off its debts, Louisiana Ice & Utilities was forced into bankruptcy.

Had it not been for Woodcock's business acumen, the insolvent company might have become extinct, but in 1934 he reorganized it as the Louisiana Ice & Electric Company and steered it through the difficult Depression years.

Under his tutelage, by 1935 Louisiana Ice & Electric was able to begin paying dividends on its capital stock.

At Bunkie, in 1938, the company completed building and placed in operation the Rea Station, its first power plant.

1941--50: Wartime and Postwar Demand Spurs Growth

1946: Hugh Coughlin succeeds Woodcock as president.

In 1947, when Woodcock vacated the presidency of Cleco to become chairman of the board, Coughlin succeeded him in that office.

Its function was to use REA funds to provide electrical lines and service for sparsely populated, rural areas. It was also in 1948 that the company put the first two 7,500-kilowatt electrical generators on line at its new Coughlin Power Station, the first plant in the nation to place its turbine generators outside, exposed to the elements.

Steps taken included increasing the capacity of the Coughlin Station and the building of a new plant, the Teche Station, which first went on line in 1953.

1959: Company sells last nonutility property.

Under its aegis, Cleco's rural customer base grew to 35,000 by 1960.

In 1966 Coughlin advanced to the chairmanship of Cleco's board, and W. Donner Rodemacher assumed the company's presidency.

One was a fuel adjustment clause created by the Louisiana Public Service Commission in 1975, which helped recoup the escalating cost of fuel.

In 1978, in order to accommodate the operations of both its utility and nonutility businesses, the company formed Central Louisiana Energy Corporation (ENERGY), a holding company for both Cleco and its various subsidiaries.

William “Bill” Fontenot who began his career with Cleco in 1986 was named president and CEO following a competitive, nationwide search.

In 1995, Cleco began operating a customer call center 24 hours a day, seven days a week and consolidated 25 customer service offices into ten regional offices.

At the same time, the company was negotiating the purchase of Teche Electric Cooperative, Inc., a move that was finalized in 1997, significantly increasing Cleco's customer base.

1999: Cleco reorganizes as holding company.