CEO’s Message – October 2026

Local Decisions, Lasting Impact

When I meet someone new, I’m often asked what I do for work. That usually leads to a conversation about URE and what makes an electric cooperative different from other utilities.

The simplest explanation is ownership. In a for-profit utility, investors own the business. Customers pay their bills and receive service, but the financial benefit ultimately belongs to the investors. At a local cooperative like URE, the people receiving the service are also the owners. That difference matters.

Because URE is member-owned, our decisions are made differently. They’re not made for distant investors or a corporate office somewhere else. They’re made right here, by local people, for the long-term benefit of the members and communities we serve.

That local connection shows up in our democratically elected Board of Trustees. Our seven trustees are fellow URE members who live and work in the communities we serve, providing oversight, setting rates, approving budgets, and helping guide the direction of the cooperative. It shows up in our commitment to provide reliable service at the lowest possible cost. Members saw a recent example of that this summer when lower power costs allowed us to reduce our generation rate and return additional savings through bill credits. And when the cooperative’s financial position allows it, it shows up in the return of capital credits in the form of bill credits to our members.

Those things are all important, but they’re only part of the story.

What I appreciate most is seeing how URE affects people on a daily basis. I hear it when someone tells me about a URE employee who went out of their way to help. I see it when our employees volunteer in the community, serve on local boards and committees, or support events that matter to our members. In the past year alone, that has meant supporting local fairs and schools, awarding $8,000 in scholarships to local students, helping teachers bring new ideas into their classrooms, and partnering with organizations working to meet needs throughout our communities.

That kind of community involvement is part of who we are.

After all, URE exists because local people came together 90 years ago to solve a problem. Rural families and farmers needed electric power, and the traditional utility model did not meet that need. So, our local community built something new, a member-owned cooperative created to serve the countryside and improve quality of life.

We owe our existence to that same community, and we have a responsibility to carry that community-based purpose forward.

If we get a chance to meet, I hope you have a story about URE’s local impact. Maybe it’s a positive experience with one of our lineworkers or member service representatives. Maybe it’s seeing URE support something important in your town or school. Or maybe your only interaction with URE is paying your bill and reading this column. That’s okay, too. You are still an important part of this cooperative.

At URE, local decisions are still made with a lasting impact in mind. We’re here to provide excellent utility service, but we’re also here to be a responsible community partner. That commitment was passed down by the members who started this cooperative 90 years ago, and it will continue to guide how we serve our members for generations to come.