CEO February Message 2021

Electric cooperatives, including Hill County Electric (HCE), have a unique place in our country’s history. Because we are a cooperative, our business model makes us different from other utilities. HCE follows seven cooperative principles including honesty, transparency, equity, inclusiveness, and commitment to the communities we serve.

HCE and other electric cooperatives spread the American dream by bringing electricity to rural areas when there were no other options as for-profit companies considered it too costly to provide service in rural areas. While those living in cities benefited from power, rural Americans banded together across the country to bring electricity to their rural homes and communities. Another shining example of our country’s strength in numbers.

Our story is not different from most cooperatives around the country. Farmers, ranchers, and others living in rural areas banded together to provide services needed in their local communities. Imagine how different our communities would look without our local credit unions, telecommunications, and ag services cooperatives.

We have talked about the importance of cooperatives many times in this magazine. Why do I keep coming back to it? Because it is not only important for the members we serve, but also for HCE’s hard working employees. Their dedication to you, the members, goes above and beyond just a job. These professionals are willing to work both day and night to make sure your power is safe, reliable, and there when you need it.

While today’s world is different than it was when HCE was founded, our cooperative values have stood the test of time and remain just as relevant today. We recognize that today’s co-op members expect more, and our pledge to you—the members we proudly serve—is to promote a cooperative culture of diversity, inclusion, and equity for all.

As I am closing, I want to again say, “THANK YOU” to all of you for your membership. Stay safe and healthy!