As I write this Manager’s Message, I think about where my career has taken me, beginning at the Investor-Owned Utility serving Houston and the surrounding area, then on to the Municipality serving Brownsville and then finally landing at Magic Valley Electric Cooperative in 1997. What a journey it has been! I have experienced all the business models that provide the essential commodity of electricity, and while each one of them gets the job done, it is only one that I believe has the customer, or in our case the member’s, best interest in mind, and that’s your Cooperative. It is because you are our owners, and we answer to you. We don’t answer to investors nor to the city commission.
I have seen our Cooperative grow to become the third largest in the state and the twenty-second largest in the country. We have experienced growing pains throughout my tenure, but with the dedicated and hard-working group of employees that I have been blessed with, many of those growing pains have gone unnoticed. I have seen our Cooperative impacted by multiple hurricanes, a global pandemic, and a 100-year winter storm, and each time we came out stronger than we were before. The reason for this is simple, it’s the dedicated employees your Cooperative has. Many of them spend hours away from their family working at all times of the day to keep your lights on. Some employees working out in the field, others behind the scenes working to restore power, trucks on the road, devices reset in the field, computers up, communication pieces going out, and yet other employees providing support services to each other. I am truly grateful for everything that they have done and gone through; they are part of my family.
I have also been very fortunate to have a senior staff that is dedicated to our membership and is always learning, asking questions, and brainstorming a better way. I owe them a great debt of gratitude for everything they do and have done.
This Cooperative is also blessed to have a dedicated Board of Directors that does a great job for our members. They know that every decision they make has an impact on each member we serve. They know their duties as directors and make sound decisions for the health and benefit of your Cooperative. I am blessed that they have had faith in me to lead this organization since 2002. I appreciate each one of them.
I have been blessed to have worked with—and for—some amazing people, from fellow employees to board directors and you, our members.
Throughout my career, I have met some remarkable people who work within the cooperative family, creating what I hope will be lasting friendships. I am grateful for their guidance and support throughout my years at Magic Valley.
As I leave, I have no doubt your Cooperative will continue to be successful in its mission of enhancing people’s lives by safely providing you the most reliable and affordable electric service while keeping your best interest in mind. Our employees’ commitment to providing you the best service possible is unwavering.
As for your next general manager, the Board of Directors completed a search in mid-September and selected Brian R. Acosta as the new general manager. Brian has been with MVEC for 21 years and is well prepared to keep our Cooperative moving forward.
Before I say goodbye, I am forever grateful for the support of my wife of 37 years, Pilar. If it had not been for her presence by my side, I certainly couldn’t have had a successful career. I love her dearly.
It’s now on to the retirement chapter in my life. I thank you all for your support and trust over the years.
Take care, stay safe and bless you all.
