When you walk through the co-op’s hallways and ask people how they would describe Kay Rappel, the word you hear most often is “class.”

Sitting in the middle of linemen and engineers as the operations customer service coordinator, she is meticulously put together in a pair of shoes that perfectly matches her dress, every strand of hair in place, every piece of jewelry shining.

But more than that, she’s class in spirit, and it’s what our employees and members will miss most, after she made the decision to retire in May after 36 years at the co-op.

Beginning as a receptionist in October 1982, she worked her way to her current position about six years later, eager to learn more about the operations side of the business.

“I’ve loved it. I’ve enjoyed talking to members and working with them to resolve their issues for them. It’s always been about customer satisfaction,” Rappel said. “I may not have been out in the field, but the other side was just as rewarding.”

She’s been a vital part of the evolution of the REMC’s mapping system, taking it from paper, pen and stencils to the automated software system it is today. Connecting it with our outage system has made it the epicenter of our operations, she explained.

“It’s like going from the Flintstones to now,” Rappel said with her signature laugh. “Now our map is our heartbeat. It displays our connectivity and is becoming the hub of the company.”

If our mapping system is the heartbeat, she is the heart of our operations crew.

The fast-paced environment kept her challenged, which was one of her favorite parts of the job. She continued to learn and grow even in the hours leading up to her last day.

“It’s just been a good place to work, with great opportunities for learning and challenging yourself,” Rappel said. “Even this week, I learned something new on the map, and that was only two days ago!”

Her advice for the person who takes up her mantle? You need to be able to balance the work with providing excellent customer service.

“We can be so quiet, and then a substation goes out,” Rappel said. “It goes from 0 to 100 real fast, and you need to be able to switch gears.”

In her retirement, she’ll be switching gears to a less intense environment, working on some projects around the house now that she won’t have any time constraints. And, of course, the most important thing of all: spending more time with family.