October is National Co-op Month, a time when electric cooperatives across the country, including Medina Electric Cooperative, celebrate their unique role in powering communities. For nearly 90 years, electric cooperatives have been lighting up rural homes, and this month is a perfect opportunity to honor that history and the foundational differences that set us apart.
As a member of a co-op, your relationship with your power provider is unlike any other—it’s a partnership, and those unique principles guide everything we do.
Our business model sets us apart from other utilities because we adhere to guiding co-op principles that reflect core values of integrity, transparency and service to the greater good.
Medina EC was built by local people who worked together to bring safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our area. Our employees, showcased on pages 22 and 23, work every day to exceed member expectations in everything they do.
As a co-op, we’re well-suited to meet the needs of the community because we’re locally governed. Our leadership team and employees live in the communities we serve. Our board of directors, who help set long-term priorities for the co-op, is made up of members just like you. These directors are elected to represent your voice in the boardroom.
Our close connection to the community ensures we get a firsthand perspective on local priorities, enabling us to make more informed decisions on the future of the cooperative.
Because we’re a co-op, the money you spend on electricity stays in the community. We don’t have far-off shareholders hoping to turn a profit. We’re owned by members, and any money we collect beyond what’s needed to maintain and operate our system is returned to you as capital credits.
Another feature that sets our co-op apart from other utilities is one of our core principles: Concern for Community. We give back by volunteering with local organizations through our Volunteer Time Off program, providing grants to nonprofits through our Community Empowerment Program and offering scholarships to students in our service area, as well as countless general donations, sponsorships and water donations throughout our service area.
I hope you’ll think of Medina EC as not just your energy provider but instead as a local business that supports this community and powers economic development and prosperity for the people.
We’ll continue to learn from our members about their priorities so that we can better serve you—because your electric co-op was built by the community, for the community.
Until next time,
Trey Grebe
