co-op spotlight

Popping along

sbradford — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 18:20:33 +0000

Popping along

April 1, 2022

One of Michael Pence’s earliest memories dates to the 1950s, when he traveled to the Indiana State Fair with his parents to sell popcorn. He was only 5 years old at the time — but his daughter, Leslie, got her start in the family’s mobile concessionaire business at an even younger age. “I went to my first fair in 1971,” says Leslie Pence. “It was a street fair in Auburn, Indiana, and I was 2 days old.” The week before she was born, Michael and his wife, Etta, had worked a fair in nearby Bluffton, where the mom-to-be also bought Leslie’s baby clothes.

Today, Michael, Etta, Leslie, and Michael’s brother, Kevin Pence, own and operate Pence’s Concessions from their headquarters at Pence’s Carmel Corn Shoppe (they use the old-fashioned spelling without the second “a”), a multipurpose manufacturing, distribution, and concession trailer facility that sits along U.S. 6 near Bryan, Ohio. Serviced by North Western Electric, the shop encompasses a kitchen as well as a year-round retail store. When customers step inside, they’re sure to notice two things: the irresistible aroma of freshly made popcorn and multiple generations of the Pence family busily doing everything from pouring kernels into a popping machine to stocking the shelves. The Pences produce 18 different kinds of popcorn in flavors ranging from tried-and-true cheese and kettle corn to trendy chocolate mint and banana pudding popcorn, yet caramel corn remains their signature popcorn and a perennial bestseller.
“We make the caramel corn from a secret family recipe, and a lot of people tell us they won’t buy any caramel corn but ours,” says Leslie.

Pence’s Concessions originated in 1902, when Michael’s grandfather, Clarence Pence, started selling popcorn and peanuts from a pushcart at state fairs. Michael’s father, Don Pence, continued the business in home-built trailers that he towed to fairs and festivals. “My dad didn’t get a manufactured trailer until 1957,” recalls Michael. “I still have that trailer, but it doesn’t travel anymore because we use it for making candy.” In the 1980s, Michael decided to make the company’s concession trailers pink and green. “I picked that combination because I think it looks good and is very colorful,” he says. “Now people recognize those colors and associate them with Pence’s popcorn.”

Beside popcorn, the Pences make and sell a complete menu of such fair-food favorites as candy apples, caramel apples, cotton candy, taffy, corn dogs, and both Italian sausage and Philly steak and cheese sandwiches. “My family has done a very good job of keeping up our quality and reputation,” says Leslie. “Everyone expects our products to be good.” Savvy fairgoers, for example, know that on a warm and sticky July afternoon, nothing is more refreshing than Pence’s fresh-squeezed lemonade. “We make it with real lemons, water, ice, and sugar, then shake it just enough,” says Leslie.

From mid-spring through the summer, the shop serves as mission control for 18 concession trailers that rotate to and from county fairs, street fairs, and community festivals within a 120-mile radius of Bryan. Typical destinations include Holland, Michigan; Auburn, Indiana; and the Williams, Defiance, and Fulton county fairs in Ohio. Pence’s Concessions, in fact, is practically an institution at the Williams County Fair, which presented the company with an award for 108 years of service. By the time September rolls around, the Pences have dispatched trailers to events in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas, and during the winter, they go to expos and fairs in Florida.

“We’re never in one location for more than two weeks,” says Leslie, “so we get to experience big cities, small towns, and differences in regional tastes and cultures.” As it turns out, those differences include candy apples. “We make the coating for our candy apples from scratch with cinnamon flavoring, but once we get south of Cincinnati, customers want them without any flavoring at all,” says Leslie.

Since Leslie’s daughter, Alexis Stewart, works alongside Etta making candy apples, fudge, peanut brittle, and, of course, popcorn, for the retail store, Pence’s Concessions proudly claims five generations of continuous family involvement. Make that six generations, if you count Leslie’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Emmalyn Stewart, who likes to taste test the cotton candy. “For us, this isn’t just a job,” Leslie says. “It’s our life.”

Pence’s Carmel Corn Shoppe, 10010 U.S. 6, Bryan, OH 43506. 419-636-0888 or 877-829-6127, www.pencescarmelcorn.com.

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Co-Op Spotlight: Pioneer Electric Cooperative

hgraffice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 18:35:56 +0000

Co-Op Spotlight: Pioneer Electric Cooperative

February 28, 2019

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Pioneer Electric Cooperative, based in Piqua, is a celebrity among cooperatives, if there can be such a thing. On Nov. 14, 1935, just six months after President Franklin Roosevelt’s executive order creating the Rural Electrification Administration, a crowd of more than 500 farmers, businessmen, and statesmen from around the country gathered in Piqua to watch workers set the first REA utility pole in the nation. Pioneer Electric has progressed since that day, in manner true to its name and its heritage as a trailblazer among cooperatives.

Tech innovators

Pioneer is often at the forefront in the use of new technology for the good of its consumer-members. It was the first electric cooperative in the nation to test radio-controlled management of members’ electric water heaters in an effort to hold the line on rising energy costs in the 1970s, and later was the first in the nation to offer use of the SmartHub app, giving members convenient account access, bill-pay options, and two-way communication with the co-op. Pioneer also was an early adopter of the SCADA system and its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), which both helps consumers better understand their energy use and improves the reliability of Pioneer’s electric service.

Diverse membership

Based in Piqua, Pioneer Electric serves 16,754 consumer-members in 11 counties in the west-central part of the state. The region relies strongly on agriculture, and like many cooperatives, many Pioneer members are farmers. Pioneer, however, boasts a diverse membership that includes several large industrial consumers such as a Honda engine plant in Anna, KTH Parts in St. Paris, the Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy, and Proctor and Gamble’s logistics and distribution center in Union. It also serves tourist destinations such as Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, Lake Loramie State Park, and Charleston Falls Preserve. Pioneer even provides the electrical service at the annual three-day Country Concert in Fort Loramie each July.

Part of the community

The cooperative’s 61 employees are actively involved in the communities they serve. They’ve rallied together to purchase gifts for area families in need for more than 25 years, and the co-op’s “Powering Possibilities” committee has coordinated donations to the local Alzheimer’s Association, area food pantries, and Pink Ribbon Girls, which supports the fight against breast and reproductive cancers.

“Great employees lead to great service,” says Pioneer CEO Ron Salyer. “Our employees continually show their generosity not only through their contributions but also through the extra efforts made outside their normal day-to-day duties to demonstrate their commitment to the communities that we serve.”

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Co-op Spotlight: Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative

hgraffice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 18:13:41 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative

April 2, 2019

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative (GMEC) serves 17,091 consumer-members in east-central Ohio. The unglaciated terrain doesn’t lend itself to wide swaths of farmland, but the hills make for fine pasturelands for cattle raising, and poultry barns fit nicely in the valleys. Because it’s situated in the midst of the Utica Shale, the oil and gas industry is a strong economic driver for the region.

Avon calling!

GMEC’s largest consumer-member, in terms of electricity use, is the Avon distribution center in Zanesville. Around 2.8 million Avon products are handled in this nearly 600,000-square-foot facility every day.

Proud heritage

Astronaut and Senator John Glenn and his wife, Annie, grew up in the area and attended nearby Muskingum University. The John and Annie Glenn Museum in New Concord offers tours that enlighten visitors about the statesman’s life and career.

The great outdoors

The area has much to offer for outdoorsmen and women. Hunting is a popular pastime in this area of the state, and an abundance of state-owned and privately run spaces in the area served by GMEC means there’s no lack of opportunities for getting back to nature.

One of GMEC’s best-known consumer-members, The Wilds is a 10,000-acre conservation and education center operated by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Visitors ride in open-air vehicles through the habitats of wild creatures, including rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches. Wild animals aren’t always friends to electrical distribution, though. GMEC once had to help the facility safely relocate ospreys that thought the tops of electrical poles were a good place to build their massive nests.

GMEC also powers Ohio’s largest state park. Hiking, fishing, golfing, a public beach, educational programs led by a naturalist, and more are available within the 17,229 acres of Salt Fork State Park. Fully equipped cabins are available to rent, as are accommodations with plenty of amenities at the lodge.

Most recently, the state opened the Jesse Owens State Park and Wildlife Area, adding 5,735 acres of recreational land to the region, with a promise to expand to over 13,000 acres.

Deerassic Park Education Center holds programs and events designed for the whole family to learn about and enjoy the outdoors. A herd of 30 deer call the property their home. Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative hosts a family fun day there every year, providing food and activities for members and their families.

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Co-Op Spotlight: Logan County Electric Cooperative

hgraffice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 17:48:47 +0000

Co-Op Spotlight: Logan County Electric Cooperative

May 1, 2019

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Tucked against the base of Mad River Mountain in Bellefontaine is one of Ohio’s smallest co-ops, Logan County Electric Cooperative (LCEC). What the co-op might lack in size, however, it makes up for in service. General Manager Rick Petty and his staff prioritize connections with their more than 4,600 consumer-members in their mission to provide local, safe, reliable, affordable electricity.

High points

Bellefontaine boasts the highest point of elevation in Ohio — Campbell Hill, at 1,550 feet. Ohio Hi-Point Career Center sits atop the summit, giving the students inside an education with a view. Nearby is Mad River Mountain, which offers skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing during the winter months. To the south, underground tours of Ohio Caverns and homestead tours of the Piatt Castles are available. Northwest lies Indian Lake, perfect for boating and fishing, but also the location of year-round events and activities for adults and families. Marmon Valley Farm to the southeast offers horseback riding for individuals or groups as well as summer camp opportunities for kids.

The co-op’s small size doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve large consumers. The Honda plant in Russells Point is the co-op’s biggest consumer. Additional large power consumers — including SpartanNash, Indian Lake Local Schools, Benjamin Logan Local Schools, Heartland Egg Farm, and World Class Plastics — enjoy reliable service from Logan County Electric Cooperative, as well.

The power of human connections

Petty strives to maintain strong connections to each of the co-op’s consumer-members. “It’s important to keep engaging members at a hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart level,” he says. “We really try, at every touchpoint, to connect.”

Petty’s philosophy manifests in a variety of forms; it might be an invitation to members to attend informational sessions about high-speed internet, visiting schools to teach children about energy, or having a one-on-one conversation with a member over breakfast. The co-op also has a robust Operation Round Up program, allowing members to contribute to school programs, homeless and domestic abuse shelters, programs for special-needs children, and more.

Petty is a believer in actions, not just words. “The messaging isn’t enough without the connection,” he says. LCEC’s commitment to its membership allows employees to provide the best possible service to their consumer-members and to remain an active, engaged part of the Logan County community.

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Co-Op Spotlight: Pauling Putnam Electric Cooperative

hgraffice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 15:49:55 +0000

Co-Op Spotlight: Pauling Putnam Electric Cooperative

June 28, 2019

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative (PPEC) straddles the state line in northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana, serving 13,063 consumer-members between both states. Their membership profile straddles a line as well, with 60% residential members and the rest commercial and industrial.

Because of its flat, rich, open terrain — ground just right for farming — the area has a deep-rooted agricultural heritage. That same terrain also makes the area quite windy, and Paulding County is home to multiple wind turbines, many of which are served by PPEC. Companies like Amazon, General Motors, and Microsoft purchase energy from turbines there.

Diversity

PPEC serves a diverse range of residential customers, providing reliable power to not only Century Farms and rural residents, but also to several urban neighborhoods located in New Haven, Indiana.

PPEC’s strength in serving its residential members does not relegate larger members, such as Cooper Farms and Baughman Tile in Paulding County, or manufacturers, such as Steel Technologies, Silgan Plastics, and Whirlpool, all based in Ottawa, to any lesser level of service. Likewise, larger Indiana-based companies such as SDI La Farga and Superior Aluminum, both subsidiaries of OmniSource/Steel Dynamics, enjoy the benefits of their PPEC membership as well.

A drive and a passion for community service

In October 2015, PPEC employees discovered there was a waiting list of more than 400 veterans who hoped to go on an Honor Flight to see their armed service memorials in Washington, D.C. The employees set a goal to raise the needed funds to send 86 veterans on the trip. What happened next was pure patriotism at its core.

Local communities joined the cause: Organizers held concerts to raise funds, kids built lemonade stands, and numerous local businesses partnered with PPEC — and soon the idea had snowballed into a community-wide effort. Before they knew it, PPEC employees and their many partners had raised over $170,000, enough to send 475 veterans on a trip they so rightfully deserved. The grassroots effort earned PPEC the National Co-op Purpose Award at the 2018 NRECA annual meeting.

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Co-op Spotlight: Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative

hgraffice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 15:13:11 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative

August 2, 2019

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative (HWEC) sits proudly among beautiful rolling hills and amid the largest Amish population in the United States. With a service area located halfway between Cleveland and Columbus, HWEC provides electricity to more than 13,900 consumer-members, mainly in Holmes and Wayne counties.

Although the cooperative is located in a rural setting, you don’t have to venture far to find a unique business atmosphere. Agriculture plays a key role, but manufacturing is also a fundamental driver to the local economy. Tucked on back roads are endless businesses in a variety of industries that have been established through a strong entrepreneurial spirit found in these counties.

Industries range from automotive supplies to high-quality hardwood furniture to national-award-winning Guggisberg Cheese and famous Troyer’s Trail Bologna, just to name a few. The cooperative serves approximately 55% residential members and 45% businesses, with over 17,400 meters, which creates diverse electric distribution needs.

Tourism plays a part in the area’s culture, as visitors from across the nation come to tour Amish Country. Holmes County is home to the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center, and there’s almost no limit to the Amish-centered activities for tourists: touring the countryside, visiting an Amish home and farm, learning farming methods, shopping for Amish-made goods, and, of course, indulging in traditional Amish foods. The Amish people are known in particular for their hearty, home-cooked meals and for their desserts, especially pies and chocolates.

There’s more to the area than Amish Country, though. The nearby College of Wooster holds lectures, concerts, events, and exhibits in every discipline and has been home to the Ohio Light Opera for the past 40 years. The Mohican River runs through the co-op’s service territory and is one of the most popular places in the state for camping, canoeing, kayaking, and even ziplining.

In recent years, a number of wineries have blossomed in the countryside, offering visitors yet another way to enjoy the picturesque terrain. The towns of Wooster, Millersburg, and Loudonville have benefited from downtown revitalization and offer unique artistic shops, boutiques, and restaurants, as well as weekend special events like ice carving, antiques festivals, free movie nights on the courthouse lawn, car shows, and arts and crafts festivals.

Friendly and warm local residents in a diverse area offering a variety of leisure activities, businesses, and arts make this rural area a unique place to call home for a thriving and growing electric cooperative. HWEC staff are honored to serve the community and are committed to providing excellent service to all of their members.

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Co-op Spotlight: South Central Power Company

hgraffice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 14:31:57 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: South Central Power Company

September 3, 2019

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

As the largest co-op in Ohio, South Central Power Company serves a broad population. From suburban city life to the beautiful greenery of Hocking Hills, South Central Power serves more than 120,000 residential, industrial, and commercial consumers across 24 counties.

Founded in 1936, South Central Power started small. The cooperative doubled in size after a merger with Ohio-Midland in 1962 and grew once more following a merger with Inter-County. In 1992, they merged with Belmont Electric Cooperative, expanding to the east. Today, South Central Power stretches as far east as Jefferson County and as far west as Clermont County.

Suburban city life

Pickerington and Canal Winchester are two of the biggest cities in South Central Power territory. A suburb of Columbus, Canal Winchester features city-centric attractions while offering natural scenery. Canal Winchester is full of historical landmarks, including the National Barber Museum and the Bergstresser/Dietz Covered Bridge, the last remaining covered bridge in Franklin County. It’s also home to Slate Run Metro Park, a 1,705-acre park featuring open grasslands, wetlands, and meadows. Slate Run offers day camps and horseback riding to its visitors, in addition to free activities like fishing and picnicking.

Just south of Columbus, South Central Power serves Rickenbacker International Airport and many of the surrounding businesses and industries in logistics, distribution, and advanced manufacturing. Additionally, it serves energy-intensive members in industry sectors such as oil and gas, automotive suppliers, food and beverage, and more.

Rural living

Hocking Hills State Park is perhaps one of the most beautiful parks in the state of Ohio and is served by South Central Power. An activity-packed destination perfect for avid hikers, campers, and anyone who wants to explore the great outdoors, the park offers activities from canoeing to ziplining to horseback riding. For visitors interested in hiking, there are paths for beginners and paths for the most experienced hikers. Old Man’s Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, Ash Cave, and more can be found in the state park. Hikers can expect to see huge rock formations, cliffs, and even waterfalls. There’s lodging for every preference, including cabins, lodges, RVs and campers, and classic tent camping

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