I recently attended a conference for cooperative CEOs and board directors. The keynote speaker asked a rhetorical question of the audience: “Why are you here?” An admonition we are all familiar with, often seen on raffle tickets, followed the question: “Must be present to win.”

Both the question and the advice resonated with me, so much so that I asked my senior staff that very question. We spent time talking about the importance of being present — in our communities and with our employees — especially given the monumental changes we are seeing in the electric industry, as well as the new day we are now operating under at United Power as an independent distribution cooperative.

People come to work at an electric cooperative for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, we come to make a difference for our friends, neighbors, businesses, and communities. Many United Power employees have decades of service; others, like myself, come after years of seeing different ways utilities provide electricity — the most critical commodity after air and water — to their members and customers. I truly believe the cooperative model is the best way to deliver this valuable resource. We are attracted to a place like United Power to bring critical change in an exciting and transformational time. 

The same holds true for our Board of Directors, who come from all walks of life and different backgrounds, giving their time for the betterment of the communities we serve. Being on a board, especially one that has made some difficult and challenging decisions to ensure the continued viability of our cooperative for the future, is not easy. I am sure there are United Power Board members — and employees — who wrestle with the question posed by the speaker: “Why are you here?”

For me personally, I am here at United Power to help us build and prepare for the dynamic future ahead. It entails a transition to cleaner — and ultimately lower cost — generating resources. It is a future that will require deploying new and innovative technologies. It is a future that required a change in power suppliers, a new way of doing business, and a significant investment in order to make way for the changing environment. We are on the cusp of massive amounts of electrification and growth, powered by artificial intelligence and coupled with more direct interaction with our members.

This is not change for the sake of change, and there is certainly a cost to moving to this new world. But, just as the founders of United Power (then called Union REA) decided 85 years ago, the future was worth the investment. Rate increases are not any easier now than they were then, but they are a necessary part of being prepared and moving the cooperative ahead.

So, why are we here? The team at United Power is here to win every day. We are present at community events, present in industry forums, and present in working to make sure legislation and regulation support the vision outlined in Our Cooperative Roadmap. Employees at United Power are present to ensure reliable electricity is available for our members 24/7/365, or as close to that goal as possible. These are not passive actions. By definition the actions we are taking ensure a continued, robust future for our growing membership base. These actions are to keep electricity flowing.

Being present to win means we will be able to stabilize power prices, take advantage of coming energy markets, escape the burden of coal, and deploy new technologies, like battery storage, in a hyper-localized fashion. Being present to win means we will be there for our members for the long term with electricity and services that support the economic growth and vitality of our communities. Being present means we are HERE FOR GOOD. 

As always, please feel free to reach out with your questions, comments, or concerns. I am honored to work for United Power and serve our members. I enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your continued support.