EDE Empire District Electric Company (The)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  May 19, 2015

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Kansas

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   (417) 625-5100

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02(b).  Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On May 19, 2015, William L. Gipson provided notice of his decision to retire from the Board of Directors of The Empire District Electric Company (the “Company”), effective June 30, 2015.  Mr. Gipson’s decision to retire from the Board was not the result of any disagreement with the Company.

Filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of the press release announcing Mr. Gipson’s retirement, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01.             Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)  Financial Statements of businesses acquired:

None

(b)  Pro forma financial information:

None

(c)  Shell company transactions:

None

(d)  Exhibits:

99.1               Press Release of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY dated May 22, 2015

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY

ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF BILL GIPSON

FROM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOPLIN, MO — May 22, 2015 — The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE:EDE) today announced Mr. William Gipson will retire from the Board of Directors on June 30, 2015, following a 34 year career with Empire.

In announcing Mr. Gipson’s retirement, Randy Laney, Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated, “Bill has been an integral part of Empire during the past three decades when the Company successfully executed a large construction phase as it prepared to meet customer needs and changing environmental regulations.”

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Board Retirement-Gipson

Laney continued, “We appreciate Bill for his many years of service to Empire customers, shareholders, and employees and for his service to the Joplin community.  We wish him the very best.”

Mr. Gipson joined Empire in 1981 in the Information Technology area and was promoted to Manager of Economic Development in 1987. In 1995 he was promoted to Director of Commercial Operations and, in early 1997, was named General Manager — Commercial Operations. He was elected Vice President — Commercial Operations in April 1997, Executive Vice President in 2001 and Chief Operating Officer later that same year. He was elected to the board of directors in 2002 and as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2002, the position he held when he retired at the end of May 2011.

Mr. Gipson is a member of the Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) Board of Governors,  He previously served as a board member of the Missouri Energy Development Association (MEDA), the Edison Electric Institute, the Financial Research Institute, and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce (MCC).  Mr. Gipson is past chairman of MEDA, the MCC, and the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

A native of Jasper County, Missouri, Gipson graduated from MSSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Technology.

Based in Joplin, Missouri, The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE:EDE) is an investor-owned utility providing electric, natural gas (through its wholly owned subsidiary The Empire District Gas Company), and water service, with approximately 218,000 customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.  A subsidiary of the Company also provides fiber optic services.  For more information regarding Empire, visit www.empiredistrict.com.

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