CEO’s Message – May 2024

Reflecting on Wire-grass Electric Cooperative’s place in history fills me with pride. Knowing we’re still making history today is even more rewarding.

Our roots run deep here. We sprang up at a time when rural America was overlooked by profit-driven utilities, becoming a beacon of hope out of sheer necessity. Thanks to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vision and the New Deal, our communities witnessed the dawn of a brighter era. Sure, WEC brought electricity, but it’s more than that. We empower our communities to grow, thrive and stay plugged into the modern world.

WEC’s history is not just some dusty record we’ve left in the past — it’s still being written as we carry it with us every day.

Here we are, more than eight decades down the road, and while our tools and technology have changed, our core mission remains the same. We aim to provide you with reliable electric service at the most affordable rates possible.

Our role has always been more than an electric utility. We’re in the thick of economic development, improving quality of life and making sure our community stays a great place to call home. Being of service is in our DNA. We’ve kept pace with changing times, finding new ways to serve you — our members and neighbors.

As we mark our 85th anniversary this month, we have plenty of reasons to celebrate how far we’ve come and where we are going. The recent advancements in infrastructure, such as the highway projects on 52 and 167 and growing industrial parks, are testaments to our commitment to continued community growth. These projects are not just about improved roads or shiny new buildings. We view these developments as gateways to new opportunities, better services, and a higher quality of life for everyone in the Wiregrass.

Our push for high-speed broadband and our backing of ventures like the ISA Corpo-ration in Geneva County’s Industrial Park are examples of us looking out for you. Our suc-cess is tied to our community’s success. Sup-porting economic growth and infrastructure isn’t just an investment in today — it’s laying the groundwork for our kids and grandkids.

We’ve evolved internally, too. We’ve centralized our operations, leaned into new technologies and streamlined our processes. This hasn’t just saved you money, it’s amped up our service quality. With high-speed broadband linking our substations and offices, we’re tackling outages like never before. A lot can be done from a computer, sparing us truck rolls and getting your lights back on faster. Technology also helps you do business with us your way, whether that’s by phone, through the app or in person.

The spirit of cooperation and community service that defined our founding members continues to guide us today. As we celebrate this 85th anniversary, we’re reminded of the power of coming together for a common goal. Our cooperative has grown from serving a handful of members to powering over 26,000 meters. Our growth stems from a blend of community trust, employee dedication, visionary leadership and the solid foundation laid by employees and board members who came before us.

We’re excited about the future and the opportunities it holds for us to serve you better, to innovate and to continue supporting our community’s growth. We are here for you — yesterday, today and tomorrow.

So, as we mark this milestone, my heartfelt thanks go out to you, our members. Your trust and support have built something truly special. Together, we’ll continue to light the way forward, ready for whatever comes along.

Thank you for being on this journey with us. Here’s to the next 85 years!