“I am a co-op girl,” said Sonya Reece, Sam Houston Electric Cooperative’s new chief financial officer. “My dad worked at the local telephone cooperative, so I was raised in a co-op family, and my kids were raised in the Sam Houston Electric Cooperative family.”
Reece took a brief hiatus from the cooperative world to attend Sam Houston State University and earn a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in accounting. While her twin boys were in high school, Reece obtained her Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University. She is currently working on her certified public accountant certification.
Reece started at Sam Houston EC on Valentine’s Day in 2005 as a billing representative. She demonstrated that she was willing to take on more tasks from the start and was appointed to a software testing team. Reece transitioned to the accounting department just a couple years later.
Reece continued to gain new responsibilities as the scope of the accounting department grew, despite being unsure if it would result in career progression.
“I used to think that people here stay so long, and other positions will probably never open up, but at least I’ll gain experience,” Reece said. “Eventually something did come open. I always believed it was beneficial to keep learning. Seeing the progression of how the Co-op has grown and added positions, it is a good reminder to just do the work.”
Sam Houston EC has grown significantly since Reece joined in 2005. The Co-op now serves more than 91,500 meters, a 30% increase. As the Co-op has grown, it has also modernized its processes, and the accounting department has done the same.
“We used to manually enter everything into the system, and it made for a lot of tedious, tedious work,” Reece said. “It’s automated now, and many of our expenses are coming from the material from the new construction jobs. Since that process is automated, we are just verifying and posting it. That frees you up and saves time as well.”
As Sam Houston EC was growing, so was Reece’s family. She has a daughter, twin sons and now grandchildren. After a couple attempts, Reece felt compelled to finish her MBA, even while raising a family with her husband, to set an example for their children.
Aiding Reece in the transition and new responsibilities is her former boss, Joe Conner, chief risk officer.
“In my time with the Co-op, Sonya has shown the hard work and dedication that makes her a model employee for the Co-op,” Conner said. “She has always provided excellent customer service to internal and external parties to the Co-op.
I know she will do well in her new role, and I look forward to watching her excel in the years to come.”
Reece is joined in the accounting department by Shelly Young and Melissa Randolph, who have been with the Co-op for more than 45 combined years. Dylaney Treadway and Jecsiba Machuca are newer to the department, and Reece feels they are great additions.
“Melissa and Shelly are the best at what they do, and Dylaney and Jecsiba bring new ideas and new perspectives to the department,” Reece said.
Aiding Reece in the transition and new responsibilities is her former boss, Joe Conner, chief risk officer.
“In my time with the Co-op, Sonya has shown the hard work and dedication that makes her a model employee for the Co-op,” Conner said. “She has always provided excellent customer service to internal and external parties to the Co-op.
I know she will do well in her new role, and I look forward to watching her excel in the years to come.”
Reece is joined in the accounting department by Shelly Young and Melissa Randolph, who have been with the Co-op for more than 45 combined years. Dylaney Treadway and Jecsiba Machuca are newer to the department, and Reece feels they are great additions.
“Melissa and Shelly are the best at what they do, and Dylaney and Jecsiba bring new ideas and new perspectives to the department,” Reece said.
