Meet MidSouth Electric Cooperative’s Information Technology department—a team of talented individuals well versed in best technology practices and expert problem solving.
Ask the average person what an IT professional does in a corporate environment, and they’ll likely make the “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” joke. However, MidSouth EC’s IT team maintains the digital infrastructure needed to protect the co-op’s electric grid, all internal software and your personal information in the co-op database.
Adel Sulais, IT manager, said the team’s biggest priority is to protect the co-op’s utility systems.
Ensuring grid components can communicate seamlessly and instantly with each other and MidSouth EC’s operating systems, while remaining secure against outside threats, requires 24/7 monitoring and regular updates. “All of our work is behind the scenes, yet crucial to the security of the cooperative,” Sulais said.
The nature of MidSouth EC’s business makes the cooperative a high-stakes target for potential hackers. To avoid becoming the victim of serious cybercrime, the co-op constantly adopts and implements new protocols for added safety.
“A utility company’s biggest threat is a ransomware attack,” Sulais said.
As hackers become more sophisticated, the co-op must stay vigilant. Brandon Northcut, vice president of technology, said his team maintains its edge through planning and by focusing on continued industry education.
“The members of our IT department are self-motivated,” Northcut said. “They take it upon themselves to read up on trends and innovative ideas that can be implemented at MidSouth.”
The rapidly growing cooperative regularly participates in trainings to educate employees on safe computer practices. “Our employees are the first line of defense against malicious attacks,” Northcut said.
MidSouth EC’s IT department takes pride in their work, even though it goes largely unseen. Working to protect members and provide a reliable and safe service never ends for this hardworking team.
“We can always do things a little better,” Northcut said.
