Co-op Leaders Focus on Energizing Every Moment During Annual Event in Nashville 

NASHVILLE – More than 350 electric cooperative leaders from across the state attended the 83rd annual meeting of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, on Sunday, Nov. 17, through Tuesday, Nov. 19, in Nashville.

Attendees learned about new developments in energy, policy, economic development, employee retention, workplace safety and more. Futurist Peter Leyden, former editor of Wired Magazine, provided a glimpse into the future as he discussed the intersection of artificial intelligence and energy. Congressman John Rose and his wife Chelsea discussed balancing life serving in public office while raising a family. Attendees of the two-day event were also able to participate in breakout sessions to dive deeper into topics like the history of electric cooperatives and the future of broadband.

The program concluded with an inspiring message from Tony Vitello, head coach of the University of Tennessee baseball team which won the national championship earlier this year. Coach Vitello was presented with the “True Tennessean” award by The Tennessee Magazine in recognition of his unique contributions to Tennessee and embodiment of the Volunteer spirit.

“The annual meeting allows leaders to learn more about topics important to Tennessee,” said Mike Knotts, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “This is a complex industry, and it is critical that co-op leaders be informed and updated on trends and new developments that will impact their communities and their co-ops.”

Elections were held for three positions on the association’s board of trustees. Ron Weir, a director for Forked Deer Electric Cooperative in Halls; Chris Davis, general manager of Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation in Clarksville; and Vicki Davidson, a director for Mountain Electric Cooperative in Mountain City, were elected to four-year terms.

Dan Rodamaker, president and CEO of Gibson Electric Membership Corporation in Trenton, was elected to serve as chairman of the association’s board of trustees for another year. Vice President John Bowers, president of Pickwick Electric Cooperative in Selmer, and Secretary/Treasurer Dana Salters, director for Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, were each reappointed to their positions as well.

“I am grateful for the time our executive committee and directors give to the association,” says Knotts. “Tennessee’s co-ops benefit from their service and leadership.”

TECA recognized excellence in communication efforts during the annual TopTenn Communications Awards ceremony. Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative received an award for Best External Newsletter or Magazine Section; Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, Best Internal Newsletter; Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Best Website; Gibson Electric Membership Corporation, Best Use of Social Media; Middle Tennessee Electric, Best Video; Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, Best Photo; Gibson Electric Membership Corporation, Best Annual Report; Gibson Electric Membership Corporation and Middle Tennessee Electric received awards in the Wild Card category.

“Successful co-ops understand the importance of building connections with members,” says Trent Scott, TECA’s vice president of communications. “Congratulations to these winners for sharing the electric cooperative story in a professional, compelling way.”

Electric cooperatives serve more than three million consumers and 72 percent of Tennessee. The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides leadership, advocacy and support for the association’s 25 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more. 

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Knotts addresses TVA board

Murray, KY – Today the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors held a public listening session at the Curris Center at Murray State University. Mike Knotts, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, addressed the board during the listening session, and a readout of his comments is below.

Curris Center at Murray State University | Murray, KY | 2:00 p.m. CST

 

Good afternoon. My name is Mike Knotts, and I serve as the CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association.  Thank you for allowing this opportunity for stakeholders that your decisions impact to communicate directly with you. It is always a pleasure to see each of you and listen to the diversity of thought and opinion that surrounds your work.  

Sharing information with customers about TVA’s successes and shortcomings is important, and I believe that good communication starts with the policies considered and implemented by this board. 

I appear today on behalf of 25 distribution utilities who rely upon TVA to supply all of their wholesale energy. TECA’s members own and operate over $6B worth of assets. Their power bills make up nearly 25% of TVA’s revenues – almost $3 billion per year. In most cases, that wholesale power bill constitutes between 70-80% of the cooperative’s total revenue. 

Cooperatives are private sector, not for profit companies. I believe it is a good reminder that while electric co-ops share in TVA’s mission of the “three E’s” – we differ from municipal utilities, and TVA itself, in that we are not units of government. Co-ops are owned by their consumer-members. Therefore, our policies are set by independent Boards of Directors who are elected by the company’s members – not by City Councils or political figures. 

Because of this governance structure, co-op boards understand the importance of transparency and communication.  

Since 1958, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives have published The Tennessee Magazine. More than a newsletter from the power company, The Tennessee Magazine honors the extraordinary nature of everyday life across Tennessee. It is a staple of coffee tables from Memphis to Mountain City and greets visitors to the offices of our Members of Congress in Washington, DC. 

Let me share two statistics that may surprise you. First, the reach of The Tennessee Magazine surpasses almost any other Tennessee media outlet. If I asked you to compare the Nashville Tennessean to The Tennessee Magazine, which would reach more people? What if I asked you to compare the top 10 newspapers across the state? 

Well, the answer may shock you. The top ten newspapers across Tennessee have a combined circulation of 208,000 copies. Next month, The Tennessee Magazine will reach over 800,000 homes and businesses. That’s 2.5 million of your friends and neighbors.  

Second, our in-depth market research has provided some extraordinary findings. Even though other types of print media are collapsing, 84% of those 2.5 million people have read three of the last four editions. That’s remarkable. In today’s world of fake news and cynical attitudes toward all types of media, we learned that 97% of readers trust what they read in The Tennessee Magazine. That’s not just remarkable. That is incredible. 

Trust. It is not something you buy, and it isn’t created overnight. The Tennessee Magazine is just one way that co-ops work to be transparent and earn the trust of the people we serve. This trust has been built by decades of selfless service by hardworking men and women, and electric cooperatives today are dedicated to always being worthy of that trust. 

As we work together to power our communities and energize every moment, electric cooperatives hope that you will join us as we earn the trust of the people who rely on us. 

Thank you. 

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A Day of Serving Those Who Served

Electric co-op employees across the state devoted their time and effort to various service projects to make the eighth annual Tennessee Electric Co-op Day of Service a success, with two co-ops focusing their efforts on serving those who have served. Both Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation and Forked Deer Electric Cooperative used the day to honor and serve veterans in their communities.

Forty employees from Cumberland EMC and 10 employees from TVA volunteered at YAIPak, a nonprofit organization in Clarksville. Their mission is to meet the needs of those who are neglected, hurting or affected where they are by providing support, comfort and resources. The 50 volunteers spent the morning at the organization’s warehouse sorting donated items to prepare a shipment of supplies for east Tennessee flood victims from the recent hurricanes. They also delivered furniture and other household goods to a newly housed veteran.

“My goal each year when choosing a service project for the Cooperative Day of Service is to find something that is meaningful and will leave a lasting impression on our employees,” Susie Yonkers, Cumberland EMC community relations coordinator and coordinator of the day of service event, says.

Thirty employees from Forked Deer EC chose to assemble gratitude packs for local veterans. Each pack included small, useful items as well as a meaningful message inside showing the co-op’s appreciation for their service.

“Being able to give back to those who have served our country is truly special to us,” Anna Grissom, Forked Deer EC’s project coordinator, says. “This project is a small but heartfelt way we can show our appreciation, and it reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting the communities we’re a part of.”

The gratitude packs will be donated to the local Veterans Affairs and distributed throughout the month in honor of Veterans Day.

31 separate community service projects were completed with 630 co-op employees volunteering approximately 1,300 hours to their communities on October 17, 2024. Since the inception of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Day of Service, 210 projects have been completed with the help of 4,164 volunteers who have collectively contributed 10,000 hours of service to their communities.

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ERMCO to Expand in Dyersburg

The Electric Research Manufacturing Cooperative Inc. (ERMCO) is expanding in West Tennessee.

The project aims to boost transformer manufacturing capacity at the Dyersburg plant through three separate phases which will create 400 new jobs. It’s an effort to help the nation – including Tennessee’s electric co-ops – meet critical infrastructure needs while bringing new jobs to the region. The plan is supported by $54.1 million in tax credit financing from five lenders and will include the establishment of an employee training center.

“Electric cooperatives across the state depend on a steady supply of transformers and other equipment to maintain the electric grid,” Mike Knotts, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, said. “ERMCO’s announcement is exciting not only for improved supply chain, but also for the economic development and growth of the region.”

It is a sentiment shared by the team at ERMCO as well. “We’re helping to ensure a reliable and resilient electrical grid,” Adam Kruzich, the company’s CFO, said in a statement. “We’re proud to contribute to the economic growth of Dyersburg and play a vital role in building a sustainable energy future for the United States.”

ERMCO’s initiative is part of a growing trend, with multiple industrial players investing to address a power sector in need of more transformers. ERMCO is part of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. and is North America’s largest manufacturer of oil-filled distribution transformers. The company currently employs around 2,000 people, produces more than 9,500 transformers per week and has been in business in West Tennessee for more than 50 years.

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What’s New About the 83rd TECA Annual Meeting?

The 2024 Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s annual meeting is quickly approaching, and a lot of “new” is in store. The 83rd annual event will consist of new dates, a new location and of course, all new speakers and content.

“We are excited about this year’s annual meeting, which will take place at a brand-new location on a new week,” said Trent Scott, TECA vice president of communications. “We believe this will be time well spent for co-op employees and directors alike.”

This year the meeting will take place on Sunday, Nov. 17, through Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs. With a different time and place comes a new agenda, too.

The event will kick off with a welcome reception presented by The Tennessee Magazine on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. During the reception, the magazine staff will unveil an all new design for the publication that will appear in mailboxes in 2025.

Monday and Tuesday will be full of engaging sessions, breakouts and speakers. Highlights Monday include an update from NRECA president Tony Anderson and vice president – Tennessee’s own – Mike Partin. Futurist Peter Leyden discusses the intersection of artificial intelligence and energy and Congressman John Rose and wife Chelsea share the real-world challenges of serving in public office while also raising children. Monday afternoon, TVA CEO Jeff Lyash will take the stage followed by breakout sessions on the relevance of electric cooperatives, the future of broadband and an update on the Tennessee Power Distribution Company. Monday is capped off with something new – the Grand Reception. It will be a time to enjoy food and entertainment while networking with colleagues from across the state.

Tuesday begins with the PAC breakfast where D.C. pollster John Rogers will break down the results of the 2024 election. The program concludes with our very special guest Tony Vitello, head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, who brought the National Championship home to Tennessee earlier this year.

“There are lots of reasons to be excited about this year’s program,” Scott says. “Attendees can look forward to engaging sessions, insightful discussions and a chance to connect with peers and experts alike.”

This year’s complete agenda is available online.

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BJ Bernard to join TECA team as vice president of member services

B J Bernard

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is pleased to announce that BJ Bernard will join the team as vice president of member services. Bernard will assume his new duties in conjunction with the TECA Annual Meeting in November, bringing with him more than 25 years of utility operations experience.

Todd Blocker, who currently serves in this position, recently announced his plans to retire after more than 13 years at the association.

Bernard has an extensive background in utility operations, having served in operational and management roles at multiple utilities. He began his career as an engineering technician at an electric cooperative in Louisiana before coming to Dickson Electric System where he spent 12 years. He joined the staff of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation in 2018 to oversee the co-op’s IT systems, eventually becoming director of broadband deployment. He currently serves as director of technology alignment for Seven States Power Corporation. Bernard holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Austin Peay State University.

The vice president of member services role at TECA provides senior leadership for several of the association’s core functions, including mutual aid coordination and youth programs – a unique combination. “BJ’s deep background in utility operations combined with his experience and passion for helping young people make him uniquely suited for this position,” said Mike Knotts, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We are excited to welcome him to our team and look forward to the positive impact he will have on our members and programs.”

“I am thrilled to join the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association as vice president of member services,” said Bernard. “Tennessee’s electric co-ops have an incredible reputation for service and dedication, and I look forward to helping co-ops serve their communities well.”

Bernard, his wife Heather and their four children make their home in Chapel Hill.

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