career development

Olivia Velasquez says her experience on Youth Tour helped set her apart as she applied to college.

It's not just hype

Every June, electric cooperatives from around Ohio and across the nation sponsor high school sophomores and juniors on a trip to Washington, D.C., where the students learn about the cooperative business model, visit Capitol Hill to meet with legislative leaders, and explore the rich history of th

OLIVIA VELASQUEZ, 2013

The Youth Tour was a pivotal experience during my transition from high school to college. Growing up in a tiny Ohio village, attending even tinier Pandora-Gilboa High School, I attended Youth Tour in 2013. After high school, I pursued my education at Harvard University, and I am currently studying at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.

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George Carter represents Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative at a community event.

Empowering employees

George Carter spent 17 years working in the electric cooperative industry before he became president and CEO of Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative in Paulding in 2005.

The 24 electric cooperatives that power rural Ohio are focused on improving quality of life for co-op members and ensuring the long-term prosperity of the communities they serve. That focus, employees say, is what makes cooperatives different from other workplaces. When a team is focused on a common goal, especially one that makes a positive impact on communities they love, it often results in fulfilled employees.

It’s not unheard of, in fact, for someone to spend their entire career with the same co-op. 

Features
WiNUP members gather at their most recent national conference.

Empowering

Janet Rehberg, director of cooperative development at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, began her electrical industry career as an engineer with AEP, designing the underground electrical systems for new housing developments.

Holly Huffman, communication support specialist at Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC), began her career in public relations. She worked for an agency for a while, as well as in the real estate industry, before a position opened up in the marketing department at Wabash Valley Power Alliance. “I didn’t know anything about the industry or what cooperatives were,” she says. “I just knew the electric company kept the lights on.” After eight years, she transitioned to her role at IEC, where she works with member cooperatives to produce content for Indiana’s cooperative-member magazine.

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