Cooperative Principles

Cooperative employees working together

Working together for you

Cooperation among cooperatives is a principle ingrained in the cooperative business model and lived out by cooperative employees when we face challenges. This summer, we have already seen powerful storms tearing through much of Ohio — uprooting trees, breaking utility poles, disrupting electric service, blocking roads, and generally making a mess of things.  

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.