Up Front
I began writing about industry issues in this magazine two years ago, shortly after I became president and CEO of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives. I noted then that these are “interesting times.”
Actually, these times are more than simply “interesting.” Fact is, we’ve gone through a period of historic change: Older coal plants have been cleaned up or closed, while natural gas, wind, and solar power generation have increased, surpassing the role that coal once played as the leading source of power generation. The electric power that’s produced today is cleaner than it has ever been.
Local control is one of the defining characteristics of your electric cooperative. That control comes from a board that’s elected from the membership — member-consumers like yourself. Much of the success of the electric cooperative program is the result of effective governance by proactive, focused directors, whose primary role is to direct the CEO and the management team, assuring commitment to business success through maintenance of the highest standards of responsibility, service, and ethics.
You probably noticed something different when you pulled this magazine from your mailbox. After months of conversations with our member-owners, cooperative staff, and industry experts, we’ve finished an extensive graphic redesign of your magazine. This, the first issue of Ohio Cooperative Living, is a culmination of those planning efforts.
It’s been several years since we took a hard look at the style and format of the magazine. During our review, nothing was off-limits — right up to and including the name of the publication itself.
As 2016 comes to a close, we can look back on a year dominated by competing political ideas, which led to a close and contentious election. Of course, the big news is that our country will soon have a new, and very different, leader. While the Trump administration will certainly have an effect on the state of the electric utility industry, it’s difficult to project the extent of the impact.
Another important election day has arrived. Some view the election as historic. Some are passionate about candidates and issues, and others are disappointed with the negative tone that the various campaigns and protests have taken. Regardless of your view of the candidates or the issues, please take time to appreciate the rights of expression that we have been given. Our veterans, who are honored in November, have sacrificed much for our rights, and those who are no longer with us have paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.
National Cooperative Month has been celebrated in October for more than half a century. This year’s theme, “Cooperatives Build,” recognizes not only the physical facilities needed to serve members, but also the important role that cooperatives play in building community. Nationwide, 40,000 cooperative businesses, including electric cooperatives, credit unions, and agricultural cooperatives, offer various services and products to 120 million people. While each cooperative is unique in some ways, we all share a common set of business principles.
