Some temptations are hard to resist. For me, it can be especially challenging to turn down that last piece of chocolate cake.
While driving, we typically hear that “ding” on our phone, alerting us to a text or call coming through, and we sometimes feel the urgent need to check it. We know we shouldn’t, but we reason that we’re going to make an exception––just this once.
So, why do we indulge in behavior we know to be wrong, dangerous and in many states, illegal? Call it hubris. According to AAA research, most people feel they are better-than-average drivers. Afterall, we have busy lives and are accustomed to multitasking. But mounds of research and thousands of deaths every year prove otherwise.
August is Back to School Safety Month. As a new school year begins with young drivers and school buses back on the road, I thought it would be a good time to remind folks, including myself, of the dangers of distracted driving.
The reality is that using a phone while driving creates enormous potential for injuries and fatalities. Distractions take a motorist’s attention off driving, which can make a driver miss critical events, objects and cues, potentially leading to a crash.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of every 10 fatal crashes in the U.S. involves distracted driving, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths annually. I find this statistic heartbreaking considering so many of these accidents could easily be avoided if we’d simply put down our phones while driving.
Distracted driving is considered any activity that diverts our attention, including texting or talking on the phone, and adjusting the navigation or entertainment system. Texting is by far one of the most dangerous distractions. Sending or reading one text takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
In addition to refraining from texting while driving, we can help keep the roads safe by moving over for first responders and other emergency vehicles. Additionally, if you see utility crews conducting work near the roadside, I’d encourage you to move over when possible and give them extra space to perform their work safely.
For Tennessee’s electric co-ops, safety is foremost in everything we do––for our employees and the members of the communities we serve. We routinely remind our crews of the dangers of distracted driving, and we hope you’ll have similar conversations with your teens who may be new to the roadways and are especially susceptible to the lure of technology.
Let’s work together to keep everyone safe on the roads. Remember: that text can wait and waiting just might save a life.
Anne Prince writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives.
Save a Life: Avoid Distractions While Driving
Some temptations are hard to resist. For me, it can be especially challenging to turn down that last piece of chocolate cake.
While driving, we typically hear that “ding” on our phone, alerting us to a text or call coming through, and we sometimes feel the urgent need to check it. We know we shouldn’t, but we reason that we’re going to make an exception––just this once.
So, why do we indulge in behavior we know to be wrong, dangerous and in many states, illegal? Call it hubris. According to AAA research, most people feel they are better-than-average drivers. Afterall, we have busy lives and are accustomed to multitasking. But mounds of research and thousands of deaths every year prove otherwise.
August is Back to School Safety Month. As a new school year begins with young drivers and school buses back on the road, I thought it would be a good time to remind folks, including myself, of the dangers of distracted driving.
The reality is that using a phone while driving creates enormous potential for injuries and fatalities. Distractions take a motorist’s attention off driving, which can make a driver miss critical events, objects and cues, potentially leading to a crash.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of every 10 fatal crashes in the U.S. involves distracted driving, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths annually. I find this statistic heartbreaking considering so many of these accidents could easily be avoided if we’d simply put down our phones while driving.
Distracted driving is considered any activity that diverts our attention, including texting or talking on the phone, and adjusting the navigation or entertainment system. Texting is by far one of the most dangerous distractions. Sending or reading one text takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
In addition to refraining from texting while driving, we can help keep the roads safe by moving over for first responders and other emergency vehicles. Additionally, if you see utility crews conducting work near the roadside, I’d encourage you to move over when possible and give them extra space to perform their work safely.
For Tennessee’s electric co-ops, safety is foremost in everything we do––for our employees and the members of the communities we serve. We routinely remind our crews of the dangers of distracted driving, and we hope you’ll have similar conversations with your teens who may be new to the roadways and are especially susceptible to the lure of technology.
Let’s work together to keep everyone safe on the roads. Remember: that text can wait and waiting just might save a life.
Anne Prince writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives.
MLEC supports Hickman County Rescue Squad
The Hickman County Rescue Squad recently received support from Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative with a donation of $1,500 through its community involvement fund. Pictured from left: MLEC District Manager Matthew Chessor, MLEC Director Johnnie Ruth Elrod, Hickman County Rescue Squad’s Tim Jackson and Chief Toby Warren; MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan; and MLEC Directors Wayne Qualls and Dr. Zack Hutchens.
Callis, Conover announce retirement dates
David Callis
NASHVILLE – During a board meeting on Thursday, June 2, David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, announced that he would be retiring in March of 2023. Callis was appointed to this role in 2012.
“Under David’s leadership, TECA has continued its long tradition of advocating for rural communities and protecting the interests of Tennessee’s electric co-ops,” said Dave Cross, CEO of Plateau Electric Cooperative and chairman of TECA’s board of trustees. “He’s been a proponent for co-ops at the state and national levels, always highlighting the qualities that make co-ops unique – local ownership, local control and service to members. David believes in putting people first and leads with empathy. The Board thanks him for his service to the association and Tennessee’s rural and suburban communities, and we wish David and Amanda the very best in the years ahead.”
The TECA board of trustees has started a search to find a new leader for the association.
Robin Conover
Robin Conover, vice president of communications and editor of The Tennessee Magazine, also announced plans to retire in August of 2022. She joined the magazine team in 1988 and has served as editor since 2002.
“Hundreds of thousands of readers have been fortunate to experience Tennessee’s woods, waters and wildlife through the lens of Robin Conover’s camera,” says Callis. “She is the heart and soul of The Tennessee Magazine and has been rural Tennessee’s official storyteller for three decades. Her knowledge, skill and wisdom will be missed.”
Conover will remain an important freelance contributor to the magazine.
Sen. Hagerty discusses critical infrastructure supply chain issues with co-op leaders
Dyersburg – Sen. Bill Hagerty met with Arkansas and Tennessee co-op leaders Monday at the ERMCO distribution transformer manufacturing plant in Dyersburg, Tenn., to discuss how global supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have impacted critical infrastructure.
Distribution transformers like the ones made by cooperative-owned ERMCO are an essential component to the power grid. Transformers convert high voltage power into something that can be safely managed inside a home or business. Every home, farm and business in Tennessee depends on transformers for the reliable and safe delivery of energy.
Global supply chain issues and labor shortages have created challenges for ERMCO to meet skyrocketing demand for their products. “Demand is simply outpacing our ability to manufacture transformers,” says Tim Mills, President and CEO of ERMCO. “2020 and 2021 were both record years in terms of production, but we are turning away about 40 percent of our orders because we don’t have the capacity to fulfill them.”
“Labor is our greatest need,” says Jeff Hammons, COO of ERMCO. “We have 70 unfilled positions on our production line now. We have space to add additional lines, but we are not confident that we could find qualified labor to run them.”
During his visit, Sen. Hagerty toured the ERMCO facility and participated in an extended conversation about supply chain issues and their impact on the power grid.
“As was made strikingly clear by my visit to ERMCO, stable supply chains are key to secure critical infrastructure, including electric distribution,” says Sen. Hagerty. “The gravity of the supply chain-electric distribution relationship affirms the need for legislative solutions that address today’s supply chain crisis and prevent new disruptions going forward.”
Thanks to the efforts of ERMCO and other suppliers, Tennessee’s electric co-ops have managed supply chain disruptions with limited impact to consumers. “We have been fortunate so far, but we are one ice storm or tornado outbreak away from real issues,” says Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, “ It is a serious situation, and we appreciate Sen. Hagerty and our co-op partners at ERMCO for their efforts to develop meaningful solutions.”
Co-ops award $16,000 in scholarships while in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tennessee’s electric cooperatives awarded $16,000 in scholarships to Washington Youth Tour delegates on Monday evening, June 20, in Washington, D.C.
Camden Robertson, a senior from Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation was awarded a $10,000 Cooperative Youth Ambassador Scholarship. Robertson was a 2021 winner of the Electric Cooperative Creative Writing Contest. Delegates who remain engaged with their sponsoring cooperative during their Senior year and complete certain community service requirements are eligible for the scholarship. Robertson’s name was randomly selected from among the 14 delegates from across the state who completed the requirements.
Trace Gearlds from Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation, Malcom Gora from Caney Fork Electric Cooperative and Brayden Rouse from Forked Deer Electric Cooperative were awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarships for having the first, second and third place papers of the thousands of papers submitted across the state for this year’s contest.
McCarty was an employee of Volunteer Energy Cooperative and long-time chaperone on the annual youth tour. McCarty lost a battle with cancer in 2015, and sponsoring cooperatives renamed the scholarship in honor of his love for young people.
Forty-nine high school Juniors from across the state are in the nation’s capital this week for the 2022 Washington Youth Tour. The annual event teaches students about public policy, history, leadership and electric cooperatives. The tour is coordinated by local electric cooperatives, the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
“Investing in these young people is a sound strategy that will pay dividends for rural Tennessee,” said David Callis, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “These are exceptional students, and our hope is that their youth tour experience empowers them to return home and make a difference in their communities.”
Gibson EMC Awarded Kentucky Broadband Grant
TRENTON, Tenn. — Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced today that Gibson Electric Membership Corporation has been awarded a grant of $4,650,880 through the Kentucky Broadband Deployment Program. The grant will help build a broadband infrastructure to make high-speed, fiber-based internet service available to 1,763 Gibson EMC member-owners in Kentucky.
“We are thrilled that we will receive Kentucky Broadband Deployment Program funds for this important project,” said Dan Rodamaker, President and CEO of Gibson Electric Membership Corporation and Gibson Connect (Gibson EMC’s broadband subsidiary). “Our member-owners desperately need high-speed, fiber-based internet service; and it will vastly improve the quality of life in our communities by providing opportunities for education, healthcare, jobs, entertainment and more. We sincerely thank all those who have made the grant possible and particularly Governor Andy Beshear, our legislators and members of the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority,” Rodamaker said. “We also are grateful to our local leadership for their support and to our members for their patience as we have worked to provide broadband service as economically as possible.”
Rodamaker said Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect anticipate being able to start construction mid-July, after receiving the grant parameters and signing the grant contract. “We’ll communicate more details about the buildout soon,” he said.
“Access to high-speed internet service is truly transformational,” said Rodamaker, “and an important part of having access is affordability. We’re working hard to manage the cost of our broadband buildout and to also enable access,” he said. “This is why Gibson Connect offers both the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Lifeline discounts to qualifying members to lower the cost of its residential internet plans.”
Rodamaker said Gibson EMC already has invested $3.9 million on a broadband middle-mile network in its Kentucky service area and will match the Kentucky broadband grant (of $4.6 million) with $6.4 million for a total investment of $15 million. He said this grant award moves Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect a step closer to the ultimate goal of making the essential service of high-speed, fiber-based internet available to every Gibson EMC member.
Gibson Connect is a wholly-owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of Gibson EMC. It was formed to make high-speed, fiber-based internet service available to members of Gibson EMC. Members can register for internet, phone and TV service at join.gibsonconnect.com or by calling 731-562-6000. Registration is just $20 and will apply toward a member’s first Gibson Connect bill when service is received. Sign up now to ensure you receive service as quickly as possible.
Gibson EMC is a local, not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled electric cooperative serving more than 39,000 homes and businesses in four west Kentucky counties (Carlisle, Fulton, Graves and Hickman) and eight west Tennessee counties (Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion and Madison).
Youth Tour Returns After Two-Year Absence
NASHVILLE – Seventy-two student-delegates, teachers and co-op advisors from across Tennessee are headed to Washington, D.C., as a part of the 2022 Washington Youth Tour. The annual event, which begins today, provides young leaders with an opportunity to explore the nation’s capital, learn about government and develop their leadership skills. This is the first youth tour since 2019.
The Washington Youth Tour is sponsored by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and local electric cooperatives from across the state. Students were selected for the trip by writing a short story titled “Electric Cooperatives – Building a Brighter Tennessee” that explains how co-ops are investing in the future of their communities.
Delegates on this year’s trip will visit museums and monuments, including the Smithsonian museum complex, the White House and the Capitol Building. The group is also scheduled to meet with members of Tennessee’s Congressional delegation.
“We are very excited about the 2022 youth tour,” says Todd Blocker, vice president of member relations for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and tour director. “Our team, our co-ops and our youth tour partners have worked hard to put together a trip that will be both safe and memorable for this year’s delegates. Thanks to the flexibility and cooperation of our hotel, bus company, airlines and venues, this year’s itinerary looks very similar to that of previous years.”
President Lyndon Johnson inspired the tour in 1957 when he encouraged electric cooperatives to send youngsters to the nation’s capital. In the years since, more than 6,000 young Tennesseans have been delegates for the Washington Youth Tour. Politicians, business leaders, authors and athletes are Washington Youth Tour alumni, including Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“We all know the impact that youth tour can have on young people,” says Blocker. “We are thrilled to be able to help these delegates learn more about public policy, history, leadership and cooperatives.”
ML Connect hits 10,000 subscribers
Centerville, TN — John Brennan of rural Hickman County is Meriwether Lewis Connect’s 10,000th subscriber. Service was installed June 2, 2022.
“When Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative announced it was bringing broadband, I thought I hope I live to see it, and now here it is,” says Brennan. “MLConnect will allow me to stream and surf the Internet, while also saving on subscription services. It is a significant upgrade and opportunity for our rural communities and gives us the flexibility to work in a place we love to live.”
Formed in 2018 in response to MLEC members requesting fiber-to-the-home, MLConnect’s goal was to finish construction in all five counties by the end of 2022. The first in-home installation happened in March 2019, and the final phase of construction (Hickman County) is on target to finish later this year. In-home and business installations will be ongoing.
“We appreciate everyone’s support of the MLConnect broadband project and what we’re trying to accomplish for those we serve,” says MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “We’re working as quickly as we can to make fast, affordable, reliable broadband an option for MLEC members.”
MLEC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility that serves more than 34,500 meters in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties. We are helping build brighter futures and make connections possible for those we serve. Learn more at mlec.com.
Don’t make your A/C work so hard
Summertime seems to be getting hotter every year. This season, prepare your home in advance so relying more and more on your air conditioning won’t show up as much on your electric bill.
Here are five ways to give you’re A/C a break this summer:
Set A/C at 78 degrees
The U.S. Department of Energy and most electric utilities recommend that you set your thermostat at 78 degrees during the summer.
Before you leave for work, crank it up to 85 degrees and before you turn in for the night, nudge it up to 82, the DOE recommends.
If that sounds a bit toasty for summertime, consider inching your thermostat up 1 degree at a time rather than all at once if you usually keep yours set at 72 in the summer—as most Americans do.
And consider replacing a manual thermostat with a programmable model so the settings will change automatically.
Pack a bag — before you need it
We pack a suitcase when we’re headed out on vacation, of course. We pack a bag when we know ahead of time that we’ll be hospitalized for a surgical procedure. Soon-to-be empty-nesters watch anxiously as their college-age kid packs all that’s necessary to furnish a dorm room. And as that delivery date approaches, every expectant mother has a bag packed and ready for when Mother Nature says, “It’s time.”
But there’s another kind of packed bag that can come in handy: The one you stock to be prepared in the event of a prolonged power outage.
“We hope our members never need to rely on those kinds of supplies,” says Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “But we’d prefer that they have it and not need it instead of the other way around.”
Depending on the time of year and your family’s needs, here’s a list of some common items that will prove very useful if electricity is unavailable for an extended period of time:
Scott stresses the need to check your power outage bag periodically, even if the need to use it hasn’t arisen: “You’ll want to be sure that expiration dates haven’t passed and that batteries are still good. And there’s one last critical piece of advice I can’t stress enough: Make sure everyone in your family knows the location of this bag, box or tote. It can’t help you if you’ve forgotten where you put it!”
Tennessee electric co-ops respond to TVA decarbonization plans
NASHVILLE – At a board meeting held Wednesday in Young Harris, Ga., Jeff Lyash, CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, discussed decarbonization plans one year after releasing the agency’s Strategic Intent and Guiding Principles framework.
David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, made the following statement:
“Affordable energy and a reliable and resilient power grid are critical to the families and businesses served by consumer-owned electric co-ops. Co-ops support robust decarbonization efforts, but we also recognize that the economic success of rural and suburban Tennessee depends on affordable and reliable energy. Environmental and economic needs must be carefully balanced as we move toward a carbon-free future. We support TVA’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions while protecting Tennessee’s electric rate payers and economic growth.”
Tennessee’s electric co-ops are leaders in balancing environmental and economic concerns. Tennessee’s electric co-ops’ residential electric rates at are 17 percent below the national average. At the same time, more than 55 percent of the energy distributed by Tennessee’s electric co-ops comes from carbon free sources, and statewide electric co-ops have built more than 2.5 megawatts of solar generation.
Don’t wait for summer to get a/c inspected
A springtime tune-up can prevent your air conditioning system from going on the fritz later, when the weather is so hot that you won’t want to be without the a/c for even a few hours.
It typically around $100 to have a professional inspection of your system, and it’s well worth the money.
Some contractors offer an annual preventive maintenance agreement, which will cost a few hundred dollars a year and typically includes a fall and spring inspection of your HVAC system and discounts on repairs and equipment. A better deal most often is to pay as you go for individual inspections.
Either way, your cooling system will get attention from a qualified, licensed service technician who is trained to spot problems that most homeowners overlook. The tech might even alert you if a small repair now will prevent your family from sweltering this summer during an a/c breakdown.
May is Electrical Safety Month
Safety is more than a catchphrase at your local electric cooperative.
That’s why you’ll see co-ops hosting safety demonstrations at community events and in schools throughout the year to demonstrate the dangers of electricity. Co-ops discuss emergency scenarios such as what to do if you’re involved in a car accident involving a utility pole and downed power lines, and they caution students on the dangers of pad-mounted transformers and overloading circuits with too many electronic devices.
Electricity is an integral part of modern life. Given the prevalence of electrical devices, tools and appliances, here are a few practical electrical safety tips:
Frayed wires pose a serious safety hazard. Power cords can become damaged or frayed with age, heavy use or excessive current flow through the wiring. If cords become frayed or cut, replace them because they could cause a shock when handled.
Avoid overloading circuits. Circuits can only cope with a limited amount of electricity. Overload happens when you draw more electricity than a circuit can safely handle — by having too many devices running on one circuit.
Label circuit breakers to understand the circuits in your home. Contact a qualified electrician if your home is more than 40 years old and you need to install multiple large appliances that consume higher amounts of electricity.
Use extension cords properly. Never plug an extension cord into another extension cord. If you “daisy chain” them together, it could lead to overheating, creating a potential fire hazard. And don’t exceed the wattage of the cord. Doing so also creates a risk of overloading the cord and creating a fire hazard. Extension cords should not be used as permanent solutions. If you need additional outlets, contact a licensed electrician to help.
I encourage you to talk with your kids about playing it safe and remaining smart around electricity. Help them be aware of overhead power lines near where they play outdoors.
Our top priority is providing an uninterrupted energy supply 24/7, 365 days per year. But equally important is keeping our community safe around electricity.
Contact your local electric co-op for additional electrical safety tips or if you would like us to provide a safety demonstration at your school or upcoming community event.
TECA recognized for Brighter Tennessee campaign
SEATTLE – NRECA and the Council of Rural Electric Communicators recognized the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association this week with the Spotlight on Excellence Silver Award for Best Total Communications Program. The award for TECA’s Brighter Tennessee campaign was presented at NRECA’s Connect Conference in Seattle.
“The Brighter Tennessee campaign was developed to help co-op consumers and community leaders better understand the impact electric co-ops have on the people and places we serve,” says Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for TECA. “Co-ops are making significant investments in Tennessee’s future, and the Brighter Tennessee campaign tells that story in a compelling way.”
“We are honored by this recognition from NRECA and the Council for Rural Electric Communicators,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We are very proud of our communications program, and it is exciting to be recognized at this level.”
The annual Spotlight on Excellence Awards program recognizes the best communication and marketing efforts by electric cooperatives and related organizations. Entrants competed with electric cooperatives of similar size in 18 categories. Electric cooperative communicators and marketing professionals submitted more nearly 600 entries in the Spotlight on Excellence program. Faculty members from the University of Missouri – Columbia and University of South Carolina, as well as noted professionals in the fields of marketing, web design and digital communications, and newspapers judged the event, which uses a finite scoring system to determine the winners.
In addition to TECA’s recognition for Best Total Communications Program, Appalachian Electric Cooperative and Middle Tennessee Electric also received Spotlight on Excellence Awards. AEC was recognized with a Gold Award for Best Internal Newsletter and a Gold Award for Best Photo. Middle Tennessee Electric received a Gold Award for Best Ad Campaign and a Gold Award for Best Individual Ad.
Small changes can have big impact
Friday, April 22, is Earth Day 2022. Consider making an Earth Day “resolution” to change at least one energy-related bad habit at home.
Here are some ideas:
Can your home pass the test?
One of the most preventable fires is an electrical one caused by defective wires or outlets. How would your home score on this quiz?
Think before you plant, call before you dig
We’ve all been there. You’re at the garden center of your favorite big box store, or perhaps you’re visiting the local plant nursery. Maybe it’s the first really warm day of spring — the one that makes you want to get out there and plant something.
There are flowering shrubs in pots and all kinds of plants in flats from which to choose. And then the balled and burlapped trees catch your eye. Digging doesn’t seem like a whole lot of work when you’re anxious to get your hands dirty. Some extra shade sure would be nice when summertime rolls around. And a flowering tree would add a lot to the landscaping.
“That’s the moment to stop and think about what that tree will look like when it’s fully mature,” says [INSERT NAME OF CO-OP, TITLE, EMPLOYEE NAME] “We all enjoy the beauty that trees bring to our landscapes. They provide important environmental benefits, and they add to our property values. But when they become so tall that they interfere with power lines, that’s a problem. High winds can bring tree branches into contact with these lines, and power outages can often be the result — not just for you but also for your neighbors.”
The best way to avoid this is to make sure the sapling you’re planting won’t eventually grow so large as to cause issues. Do a little research before your purchase to determine the mature height and width of that species. There are many beautiful small trees (flowering dogwoods and redbuds are just two examples) that are native to Tennessee and great power line-friendly choices.
“We always say, ‘Plant the right tree for the right place,’” says [NAME]. “If you have any questions about the advisability of a particular tree you’re considering planting, give us a call here at the co-op. We’ll be happy to help you make a good choice.”
And while you’re in the mood to get your hands dirty, here’s something else to keep in mind. Digging in your yard could result in inadvertent contact with underground utility lines — potentially injuring you or causing an interruption in your electric service. Before you pick up a shovel, always call 811. At no cost to you, your underground utility lines will be located and marked prior to the start of your project. One quick phone call prevents accidental contact. It’s easy, it’s free and it’s the law. Call before you dig!
Young leaders learn about government and leadership during co-op event in Nashville
NASHVILLE – More than 45 high school juniors from across the state are in Nashville this week for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s annual Youth Leadership Summit.
Delegates to the event receive a hands-on look at state government, learn networking and leadership skills and develop a better understanding of their local electric cooperatives.
Tre Hargett, Tennessee Secretary of State, welcomed the students to the Capitol where they visited with legislators, sat in on committee meetings and debated and voted on a mock bill.
In addition to meeting lawmakers and experiencing the state Capital, students also developed their leadership and teambuilding skills at the Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center at Camp Widjiwagen, completed a leadership training course with leadership expert Amy Gallimore and met Trooper Shane Moore and K9 officer Sumo from the Tennessee Executive Protection Detail. Students also spent a morning at Middle Tennessee Electric in Murfreesboro for a behind-the-scenes look at an electric cooperative.
“Meeting our state representatives was amazing,” said Madison Gean, a junior from Hardin County High School and a Youth Leadership Summit delegate from Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative in Savannah. “We’ve all learned so much. You can always grow and adapt and build leadership skills, and I am grateful for this opportunity. Please continue to do this for other young students.”
Delegates to the Youth Leadership Summit are encouraged to be leaders and use their talents to improve rural Tennessee. “The future is built on the investments we make today, and there is no greater investment that we can make than to prepare these young people to face the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow,” says Todd Blocker, vice president of member relations for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and director of the Youth Leadership Summit. “These students are selected by their local electric co-ops, school officials and guidance counselors, and they truly are the best and the brightest. The Youth Leadership Summit is an example of the many ways that electric co-ops are building a brighter Tennessee.”
Co-op leaders gather in Nashville
NASHVILLE – more than 8,000 electric co-op leaders from across the country are gathering in Nashville this week for the annual meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, PowerXchange. The gathering is the largest convention to be hosted in Tennessee since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
“Welcome to Nashville – what a great, growing, vibrant city,” said Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association during today’s opening General Session. “Every time we meet here, I am so impressed by the personality – and the hospitality – in Music City.”
Co-op leaders will be in town through Wednesday to discuss the challenges of the ever-changing industry and cultivate future-focused thinkers.