It's Almost Annual Meeting Time!
By the time you read this, the emPOWER Summit 2022, Rio Grande’s 77th Annual Meeting, will be right around the corner. Many employees are feverishly working on details of the meeting, to make your virtual experience celebrating 77 years of cooperation a great one. Seventy-seven years is no small accomplishment! This year holds special significance for me because I choose to believe that becoming the 7th to lead the Coop in its 77th year, is a special blessing. Leading RGEC is special, regardless of the apparent numerology.
As members of the Cooperative, we are about as varied a group as you’ll find. Co-op members come from all walks of life and different parts of two states. We are made up of young families and empty nesters, retirees, and winter Texans. We have both large and small farms and ranches, oil wells, gas plants, urban housing developments, hotels, hospitals and school districts. We serve pipeline pumping stations, state parks and national parks. We even provide power to wind farms. That’s right! When the wind isn’t blowing, wind turbines have equipment that consumes energy.
It is amazing that for seventy-seven years, we have been able to take the diverse needs of Rio Grande’s membership and achieve a focus that brings maximum value to everyone. It all begins with the board of directors. An organization can only be as strong as its leadership. This is why it is imperative that members participate in the director election. I encourage you to review the candidate profiles, and select those candidates who best reflect your views and vision for the Cooperative. We have made it as easy as possible. You can vote by mail or electronically. The election will begin September 6, and ends October 5. The announcement of election results will take place Saturday, October 8, during the Annual Meeting.
Rio Grande can only be strong if you are involved. Please take time to be engaged, ask questions, and serve when asked. There is a question submission form included within the pages of this magazine, which you can fill out and mail or take to any RGEC area office. There’s also an electronic version of the form you can fill out online and return with the click of a button. We will answer as many questions during the Annual Meeting as time permits, and all the others will be answered in the November edition of this magazine. As a reminder, though, you don’t have to wait for an annual meeting to ask questions.
With a committed board of directors, a talented workforce, and an engaged membership, there is nothing we can’t accomplish. We hope you’ll join us virtually and participate in the emPOWER Summit. You’ll end the morning better informed about your Co-op, and hopefully, with a prize or two!
Theresa Quiroz