The day Mary Jo Thomas took the open accounting position at Whitewater Valley REMC in 1996, she began working her way up the career ladder. In 2013, she became president and CEO of the cooperative that provides electricity to consumers in several counties along the Indiana/Ohio state line around Richmond.  “I did not set out… Continue reading.

Leona Wright doesn’t remember the exact day electricity came to her family’s White County farm, but she remembers the results: “It sure was nice to get away from the coal oil lamps to do my homework.” Now 95, Wright was just a teenager when her local REMC turned the lights on in the waning days… Continue reading.

If ever someone was destined for a career in the electric cooperative industry, it would have to be Blake Kleaving. The Perry County native is a third-generation co-op guy who’s already had multiple jobs, including college internships, with multiple electric cooperative organizations large and small. “Every step of the way,” he said, “it’s all been… Continue reading.

Just out of high school, Scot Price was uncertain about the direction he wanted his life to take. He took a manufacturing job assembling electric meters in West Lafayette, knowing it wasn’t going to be long term. In 1990, he took a job on the other side of the meter — at Tipmont REMC —… Continue reading.

With the pandemic and social unrest, finding glimmers of hope in 2020 was not easy. But five young Hoosiers are doing their part to make this world a better place.   Each year since 2009, five community service-minded middle school students have been honored with Youth Power and Hope Awards from Indiana Electric Cooperatives and… Continue reading.

Top 3 responsibilities in a day Splice internet fiber in the air or on the ground. Happy customers: Make sure they’re pleased before I leave the job site. Be available for any service interruptions or other problems that might arise during the day. What part of your job do you find to be most fulfilling? No… Continue reading.

As an imposing 6-foot-6, 340-pound burly bad guy professional wrestler, Carmine Azzato wasn’t the type of guy you’d want to bump into on a dark street corner. Azzato wore demonic face makeup, akin to Gene Simmons of the heavy metal rock band KISS, and wrestled under stage names like “Demolition Blast,” “Gravedigger” and “Molokai the… Continue reading.

Top 3 responsibilities in a day Distribute Materials. Review the crew schedules and pick and load supplies based on the planned projects.  Inventory Control. Track supplies used and advise on purchases to ensure the correct inventory is on-hand. Test Equipment. Execute and document equipment testing, including transformers, other equipment and personal protective gear for the line… Continue reading.

Why did you choose to accept a job at an electric cooperative?  I grew up in this area and knew it was a great place to work. It’s a great family-like culture; everyone is here to help and that makes it such a nice work environment. What’s a typical day like? The most common day… Continue reading.

Top 3 responsibilities in a day: Update geographic information system (GIS) maps based on work and service orders and reports by field teams.  Dispatch outages. Help create GIS maps, both static and online, for internal and external use. What kind of education do you have?  I have a master’s degree in GIS and also attend specialized… Continue reading.

By Holly Huffman Imagine your dream coming true at age 13. That’s exactly what happened to Trevin Alford, a middle school student from Washington, Indiana. Last fall, Alford “battered” the competition, winning season seven of the Food Network’s “Kids Baking Championship.” The program featured nine kids, ranging in age from 10-13, tackling various baking challenges…. Continue reading.

Top 3 responsibilities in a day: Provide direction. I lead the superintendents and forepersons who oversee our tree crews. Purchase. I make sure our crews have the resources they need to run safely and efficiently like personal protective equipment, tools and equipment.  Budgeting. I set and maintain a consistent budget for the required scope of work…. Continue reading.