Each month we share news and updates, promotions and retirements that we receive from our co-ops. Below are updates from September.
Travis Akins was selected to fill the position of District Operations Supervisor in the Portland District. Akins replaced Homer Mayes who retired July 15. Akins previously served as District Engineer.
Todd Hesson was selected to replace Akins as District Engineer in Portland. Hesson previously worked in Gallatin as the Engineering Technician. (photo)
NASHVILLE – Krista Herrod of Hendersonville joined the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association Monday, Aug. 19, as an administrative assistant. A 2010 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro with a degree in nutrition and food science, Herrod previously worked as a receptionist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She grew up in Hendersonville and graduated from Beech High School. In her spare time, Herrod enjoys running, traveling and scrapbooking.
Each month we share news and updates, promotions and retirements that we receive from our co-ops. Below are updates from August.
Sequachee Valley EC’s “Watts Up” Relay for Life team raised more than $11,000 during the Marion County Relay for Life. The SVEC team is consistently one of the top teams for the most money raised in Marion County and last year was the #2 non-corporate team in the entire Chattanooga area. Team members were Cathie Brown, Cheryl Higgins, Chris Cooper, Tiffany Burns, Joan Davis, Bryan Melton, Vickie Paris, Jane Middleton, Lisa Holtcamp, Beth Duggar and Shelby Potterfield.
Michael Greer, a truck driver for the Marion County district, retires on August 12th after 34 years of service. Michael plans to do a lot of fishing and spending time with his 4 grandchildren. Although he will be missed, SVEC congratulates Michael and wish him and his family much happiness.
Jarvis Wooten, district operations manager for Marion County and Cathy Black, communication specialist, took a group of students to 4-H electric camp in Knoxville recently.
A crew from SVEC left before sunrise on June 14th to help Southside EMC in Virginia after storms left thousands of their members without power. Joey Roberts, Anthony Gilbert, Blane Stewart and Billy Akin assisted Southside EMC with power restoration.
Pickwick Electric Cooperative’s hot line bucket truck foreman Eddy Warren will retire Aug. 30 following a 39-year career with the co-op.
Director changes:
It’s time to choose your cooperative’s couples (or individuals) to attend the 2013 Tennessee Young Leaders’ Conference on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23, at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Franklin.
This highly regarded conference is a combined effort of TECA, the Tennessee Council of Cooperatives (TCC) and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers organization. Your TCC dues cover the conference registration fee, hotel room cost and cost of conference meals. As soon as the 2013 conference program is finalized, it will be posted on our web site and at tennesseecouncilofcoops.org.
TCC’s annual conference provides cooperatives across the state a unique opportunity to educate its young leaders regarding the benefits of cooperatives. Your TCC council has worked hard to build a foundation of appreciation and support for existing cooperatives among conference participants. Those attending the 2013 conference will be exposed to ideas and information that will enable them to add value to their own businesses, form new niche cooperatives with others in their communities and meet the challenges of the future with cooperative marketing innovations.
More than ever, to be selected for this conference should be considered a true honor and opportunity for your participants. Carefully select attendees. Sending outstanding people to this conference may be your single most important outreach activity to ensure that the cooperative way of doing business remains strong in the future.
Couple(s) or person(s) chosen should be:
For attendees with young children, childcare will be provided during the meeting sessions.
Please select your representatives, complete a copy of the attached registration form in full and mail, e-mail, or fax it to Roberta Smith, TCC’s Administrative Secretary-Treasurer by Friday, Jan. 25. We will need one registration form per couple or per single participant. Once the completed registration form is received Roberta will make hotel reservations for the couple or person you have chosen.
[button link=”http://tennesseecouncilofcoops.org/youngleadersconf.htm”]Learn more →[/button]
Arlington, VA.; December 3, 2012 — The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) today announced that Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2013. Emerson will take over for long-time CEO Glenn English, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
“We conducted an exhaustive search to identify the very best individual to lead a great association,” said NRECA Board President Mike Guidry. “We’re convinced we found that person in Jo Ann Emerson. Her background as a Member of Congress and a trade association executive – coupled with her extensive knowledge of the issues facing electric cooperatives and rural America – make Jo Ann eminently qualified to lead NRECA and represent the interests of our members. The respect she has from both sides of the aisle and her proven ability to bridge political and policy divides and find common ground will serve NRECA well.”
Emerson was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 from Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District. She serves on the House Appropriations Committee and Chairs the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Appropriations, with oversight of the U.S. Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, and various independent government agencies, including the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the General Services Administration, and the Small Business Administration. In addition to a leadership role on agriculture, health care, and government reform issues in the House, Emerson has won recognition for her work on energy issues, including the NRECA Distinguished Service Award.
“Energy has a direct relationship with the vitality of rural America. Without reliable, affordable electricity delivered by electric cooperatives serving thousands of communities, millions of Americans would be left without the energy that brings economic opportunity, unsurpassed quality of life, and the promise of growth in the future,” said Emerson. “NRECA is committed to the electric cooperatives of this great nation that fulfill this vital need, and work so hard every day to improve the quality of life for their member-owners. I am so very honored to join an outstanding organization to work on their behalf.”
In addition to her committee posts, Emerson also serves as co-Chair of the Tuesday Group, is a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and holds a position on the Board of the Congressional Hunger Center. She is the first Republican woman from Missouri to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Emerson graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and held executive roles in communications and government affairs positions with the National Restaurant Association and the American Insurance Association before being elected to the first of nine terms in Congress.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide service to 42 million people in 47 states.
The Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) recently announced that the members of the TRA have elected Director James Allison to serve as chairman of the agency. In the capacity of chairman, he will have the responsibility of formulating the broad strategies, goals, objectives and long-range plans and policies of the TRA. Mr. Allison succeeds TRA Director Kenneth C. Hill who has served as chairman since October 2011.
On accepting the role as TRA chairman, Mr. Allison said, “I am honored to accept the role as chairman to continue the Tennessee Regulatory Authority’s commitment to protecting the public interest.” He resides in Shelbyville, Tennessee and was appointed to the TRA in 2012 by Governor Bill Haslam, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and House Speaker Beth Harwell.
The TRA members also elected Director Herbert H. Hilliard to serve as vice chairman of the agency.
The mission of the TRA is to promote the public interest by balancing the interests of utility consumers and providers. For more information on the TRA, visit online at www.tn.gov/tra.
NASHVILLE – As the massive Hurricane Sandy bears down on the Atlantic Seaboard, 60 lineworkers from Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are prepared to assist with power restoration once the storm subsides.
“Seven Tennessee cooperatives are sending volunteer lineworkers and equipment to assist cooperatives in Virginia and Maryland,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We expect this storm to cause extensive power outages, and our crews are staged in the area to respond quickly once it is safe to do so.”
Emergency work plans were put into place on Friday, Oct. 26, and crews from Tennessee headed for Virginia and Maryland beginning early on Saturday, Oct. 27. This cooperation is enabled through mutual aid agreements between electric cooperatives.
Assisting Northern Neck Electric Cooperative in Warsaw, Va.:
Assisting Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Fredericksburg, Va.:
Assisting Choptank Electric Cooperative in Denton, Md.:
Assisting A&N Electric Cooperative in Tasley, Va.:
Assisting Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative in New Castle, Va.:
Assisting Community Electric Cooperative in Windsor, Va.:
Tennessee’s Mountain Electric Cooperative, Mountain City, is expecting more than 10 inches of snow to fall in its service area as a result of the hurricane. MEC abandoned plans to assist in Virginia and are now prepared to respond in the event of snow-related outages.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade association representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million members they serve.
# # #
Contact:
Trent Scott | [email protected] | 731.608.1519
Updates will be provided as additional details become available.
Gibson Electric Membership Corporation President and CEO Dan Rodamaker recently received the Touchstone Energy Brand Champion Award in recognition of living the “power of human connections.” Rodamaker was the only co-op leader in Tennessee and one of only six co-op leaders in the nation to receive this award.
“I’m honored to receive this award, but I’m more proud of what it represents,” Rodamaker said. “Gibson EMC, our leadership and our employees work conscientiously every day to provide our members with the highest level of service excellence,” he said. “This is our ongoing commitment to our members and to the communities we serve.”
As part of its efforts toward service excellence, Gibson EMC surveys member-owners and benchmarks its survey results against those of other electric energy providers. The rating from Gibson EMC’s last survey was a 91 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a system used nationally to rate performance and customer satisfaction among energy providers. This was nine points higher than the average of 82 for other Touchstone Energy Cooperatives for the same period and 16 points ahead of the national utility industry average.
“Naturally we’re honored by our member-owners’ ratings and by Touchstone Energy’s recognition of our utility,” said Rodamaker, “but it only strengthens our commitment to serve our members and our communities even better going forward.”
Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service to customers large and small. More than 700 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives in 46 states are delivering energy and energy solutions to more than 27 million customers every day. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives serve members with integrity, accountability, innovation and a longstanding commitment to communities.
Gibson EMC, a Touchstone Energy Member since 2006, is a local, not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled electric cooperative. Gibson EMC serves about 35,000 member-owners in Gibson, Crockett, Dyer, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, and Obion counties. Its corporate customer service center is in Trenton and its satellite customer service centers are in Alamo, Medina, Tiptonville and Troy.
Jim Allison, president and CEO of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, has been named as a director for the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by Gov. Bill Haslam.
“TECA staff has been supportive of Jim’s selection, and we’re extremely pleased to learn of his appointment as a TRA director,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Jim is a well-respected leader, and brings extensive utility industry experience to the TRA.”
A media release from Gov. Bill Haslam’s office is attached.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
NEW TENNESSEE REGULATORY AUTHORITY TAKES FORM
Executive director, two directors appointed to reconfigured TRA
NASHVILLE – The newly reconfigured Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) has its first full-time executive director and two new part-time directors after Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s reforms were passed during this year’s legislative session.
Haslam worked with Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) and House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) on the joint appointments of business executive Earl Taylor as executive director and utility industry veteran James Allison as a director.
The governor also appointed Herbert Hilliard, executive vice president and chief government relations officer of First Horizon National Corporation, as a TRA director.
“It is our job to make state government as accountable and responsive as possible to Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “These appointees bring years of experience and expertise to the TRA. I am grateful for their willingness to serve our citizens and appreciate the lieutenant governor and house speaker for their efforts in this selection process.
Passed during this year’s legislative session and signed into law by Haslam, HB 2385/SB 2247 changed the membership of the TRA from four full-time members to five part-time members and established the executive director position, the first of which was to be jointly appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and house speaker.
The TRA sets utility rates and service standards of privately-owned telephone, natural gas, electric and water utilities.
Taylor practiced law in Johnson City for ten years and has an executive background as part owner of the CBS affiliate in Knoxville and as a business developer in Knoxville, the Tri-Cities area, Florida and Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a J.D. from the University of Memphis. Taylor serves as a Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority commissioner, Knoxville Fellows Program mentor and as a Young Life of Knoxville committee member.
Allison has utilities experience in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, and is also regarded as one of the top instant replay officials in college football after having been an on-field official in the Southeastern Conference for more than 12 years.
Hilliard has spent 42 years at First Horizon and is currently the board chair for the National Civil Rights Museum, a board member of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee and a commissioner for the Memphis/Shelby County Airport Authority.
NASHVILLE – Chelsea Rose is joining the staff of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association as Government Affairs Assistant. In this position, Rose will track legislation and communicate with law makers at the state and federal levels for the association that represents electric cooperative consumers across the state.
Rose has previous experience with Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s office. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in agriculture communications from Tennessee Technological University and is pursuing a master’s degree through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Rose lives in Lancaster with her husband, John Rose. They own and operate a farm, which is in both DeKalb and Smith Counties and produces Hereford cattle, tobacco and hay. She has been active in Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) as the state president and as a national vice president. She is a member of the Tennessee FFA Alumni Association, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation.
“We are excited to have someone with Chelsea’s skills and rural background join our team,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for TECA. “She will be an asset to TECA and the electric cooperatives of Tennessee.”
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade group representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million consumers they serve.
TECA’s David Callis responds to Cable’s presentation to Senate Commerce Committee during the 2012 Legislative Rally on March 13th.
Electric Power Associations of Mississippi
Ridgeland, MS
Job Description
Job Title: Safety and Loss Control Instructor
Department: Safety and Loss Control
Reports To: Vice President, Safety and Loss Control
Date: March 1, 2012
SUMMARY
Administers monthly safety and loss control meetings to all Electric Power Associations in Mississippi. Participates in schools, seminars and other functions as needed. Helps implement the Emergency Work Plan during times of disaster. Responsible for the planning, development and implementation of safety and training programs.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPOSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Plan, write, organize and teach electric distribution subjects and regulatory compliance to Electric Power Association personnel.
Must be a good communicator and have excellent speaking skills to work with both small and large audiences.
Willing to assist, supervise or train at lineman schools, seminars and other functions as needed by the Association and/or Vice President, Safety and Loss Control.
Conduct safety audits on Electric Power Association crews and facilities and report results to proper personnel.
Must be available to provide disaster assistance to the Associations and be willing to assist in system restoration.
Must be able to provide safety and loss control guidance to system employees that will maximize a safer work environment, compliance and education.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Must possess a minimum of a high school diploma and have a minimum of four years experience with an electric utility, preferably line construction and maintenance.
Must have experience and knowledge of powerline construction including RUS, NESC, OSHA, DOT and EPA regulations
Possessing the qualification or willing to earn the qualification of Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or the NRECA Certified Loss Control Professional (CLCP), is highly desired.
Computer skills, especially in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Outlook, is highly recommended.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is both inside and outside the Associations. Some irregular hours including night, weekends and holidays may be required.
Extensive travel within the state of Mississippi and limited out of state travel.
Must reside within reasonable commuting distance to the EPA office in Ridgeland.
SALARY
$50K – $65K. Salary to be determined by work related experience, education and pre-qualifications.
CONTACT
Micheal Weltzheimer, CLCP
Assistant to the Vice President, Safety and Loss Control
Electric Power Associations of Mississippi
P.O. Box 3300 – Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300
Fax: (601) 605-8601
SHELBYVILLE – The Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) Board of Directors recently took action to elect Michael Watson to the position of Vice President, effective February 1, 2012.
After working for Memphis Light Gas and Water for five years in the substation and protective relaying department, Mr. Watson began his career at DREMC nearly 20 years ago in the engineering department. Watson was promoted to the Shelbyville/Lynchburg District Manager position, which he held for approximately five years, and has served as the Director of Operations for the past 10 years. “In each of his positions at DREMC Michael has tackled numerous complex projects and is currently overseeing DREMC’s entrance into automated meter reading and other technical projects,” stated DREMC CEO, Jim Allison.
Michael received his masters of electrical engineering from the University of Memphis, his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Mississippi State, and is also a registered professional engineer in the State of Tennessee. Michael is a member of NRECA’s T&D Engineering Committee and served as a past chairman of the power quality subcommittee.
“Michael has been a tremendous asset to Duck River Electric throughout his tenure here and I would like to be the first to congratulate him in his new position,” stated Allison.
Watson commented, “I am honored to have been considered for this position and I look forward to the opportunity to continue helping DREMC best serve its members.” Michael Watson currently resides in Shelbyville, TN with his wife Dianne and three children, Ruth, Will, and Wes.
Duck River EMC, a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative, is an electric distribution cooperative with its headquarters in Shelbyville, TN. For more information please contact Duck River EMC at 931.684.4621 or visit our website at www.dremc.com.
Download a high resolution image of Michael Watson.
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, an organization representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million consumers they serve, announces the appointment of David Callis as executive vice president and general manager. Callis replaces Tom Purkey who recently announced his retirement.
Callis began his career with the Tennessee Valley Authority as an accountant and then as supervisor of power revenue. He then worked at Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation for almost nine years, serving first as director of finance and administration and then as general manager. In 2001 he joined the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association as the director of government and public affairs, and in 2010 he was named vice president of statewide services. Callis has served on the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives and the South Kentucky Industrial Development Association.
Callis and wife Dawnn have been married for 32 years and have two children, Megan, 27, and Brian, 23. Dawnn works with XO Communications in Nashville. Megan works as a legislative assistant for Tennessee State Senator Tim Barnes and is attending law school. Brian is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and works as an accountant at Franke in Smyrna.
“David has a deep appreciation for the electric cooperative business model,” says Bill Rogers, president of the association’s board of trustees. “He is immensely talented, well respected and a passionate advocate for Tennessee’s cooperatives and their members.”
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical.
Download a high-resolution image of David Callis.
Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative has chosen Dwight Bates of Centerville to lead its Hickman County District Office when current manager Marshall Carothers retires in January. He steps into the position with 30 years of service to MLEC.
Bates’ background in MLEC’s engineering department, working directly with members on new services, and assisting line crews in outage situations will be a benefit as he transitions into this new role. He began training with Carothers in December.
“I’m looking forward to working with our members and helping where I can,” says Bates.
Dwight and wife Wanda make their home in Centerville. He enjoys hunting, fishing, photography and cooking for friends and family.
