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Stories of financial strength, record returns, steady leadership and celebrated peers shined at Pioneer Utility Resources’ 2023 Cooperative Member Meeting on June 20.
During the virtual meeting, staff and co-op members heard how Pioneer grows brands, strengthens staff and shares member stories. Pioneer announced the record-breaking return of $729,577 to members—the largest return since the co-op was created in 1956.
“I’m happy to report our excellent financial position permits us to return these record margins to our members,” Pioneer CEO Michael Shepard told attendees. “It’s been a busy year, but we’re keeping the pedal down as we work on new strategic objectives to serve you better.”
The meeting’s theme, Stories Connect Us, reflects how storytelling through efficiency, news reporting, brand growth, cooperation and strategic goal sharing connects our communities.
“Stories connect us to each other, to the cooperative, to our shared purpose, to the people we serve and to our combined potential,” Pioneer Board Chairperson Scott Peters says.
During the meeting two Utility Pioneers, Shelley Paik, from Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative in Hawaii, and Lisa Fannin, from Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative in Kentucky, were awarded Pioneer’s 2024 D’Avanzo Communications Leadership Award.
“Thank you for your outstanding contributions to Pioneer and our community of communicators,” Shepard says. “You both exemplify all of the ways that stories connect us.”
Record-Breaking Returns
Pioneer announced co-op member credits of $729,577, representing a 5.7% return on members’ eligible spending with Pioneer in 2023. Checks will reach utility members in July or early August.
“It’s clear that our members’ equity in Pioneer—the value of the cooperative—has seen strong and steady growth over the past five years,” reported Pioneer Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Matthew Pierce.
Twenty Utility Pioneers, many of which partner with Pioneer on both communications and efficiency programs, will receive more than $10,000 each.
“This tells a remarkable story about the power of co-op membership,” Pierce says. “Each check represents Pioneer’s commitment to serving efficiently so that you can shine.”
Since Pioneer was founded by utilities in 1956, the co-op has returned $4.3 million to members.
Meeting Mail Challenges
“One area of continued pain for utilities trying to stay in touch with consumers is the ongoing United States Postal Service rate increases. We’re staring down another pretty sizeable increase in July,” Pierce said.
Pioneer’s Senior Manager of Publications Production Elizabeth Beatty and Publications Coordinator Alyssa McDougle attended the National Postal Forum in June to stay on top of these changing requirements. They shared the latest money-saving options on Pioneer’s blog. The first step is to keep mailing lists clean to avoid waste; use these best practices from Pioneer’s mailing team.
“We’re doing everything possible to take advantage of special discounts to optimize your mailing lists and to keep the periodical permits healthy,” Pierce adds. “Believe it or not, it’s still considerably more affordable to produce and mail a glossy 32-page magazine than it is to send out a single sheet of paper in a first-class stamped envelope.”
Steady Leadership
Utility leaders are elected by members to guide the communications co-op through Pioneer’s Board of Directors. In the past six months, Pioneer’s board moved to fill two board vacancies.
- At the end of 2023, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative CEO John Bartley resigned from the Pioneer board when he was elected to the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation board.
- In early 2024 Alaska Power Association Executive Director Crystal Enkvist stepped away from Pioneer’s board when she was selected for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association board.
“We understand that talented leaders like Crystal and John are pulled in many directions,” Peters says. “We thank them for their time and leadership and wish them well as they support Utility Pioneers in their new roles.”
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative CEO Brad Kimbro filled the District 7 Southeastern Seat in December, and CEO and “Head Coach” of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber Sean Vanslyke stepped in this spring to fill the at-large seat.
Both of the seats, along with District 4, representing California and Oregon, were up for election in 2024. Nominations were open through May 14. All three incumbents ran for reelection and were unopposed. Members used the Pioneer Votes platform to elect three Utility Pioneers to represent co-op members:
- District 1: CEO and “Head Coach” of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber Sean Vanslyke
- District 4: Hood River Electric and Internet Co-op General Manager Libby Calnon
- District 7: Wiregrass Electric Cooperative CEO Brad Kimbro
They will continue to serve with the six other Utility Pioneers who guide the cooperative’s strategic goals.
Growing Membership
In 2023, the co-op welcomed 24 new members from Arkansas, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. The members highlight Pioneer’s diverse membership base, including telephone cooperatives, electric cooperatives, municipal systems, public utility districts, a statewide association and a generation cooperative.
Now—through the power of cooperation—216 members and almost 100 additional utilities across the nation work together to strengthen electric and broadband utility stories with Pioneer’s shared communication and efficiency solutions.
“It’s great to see our co-op grow,” Peters says.
Membership is available exclusively to not-for-profit utilities and the associations serving them. Members must subscribe to at least one Pioneer service. Co-op membership isn’t required to work with Pioneer, but it has great benefits, including the ability to vote for directors and receive co-op member credits.
Growing Membership
In 2023, the co-op welcomed 24 new members from Arkansas, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. The members highlight Pioneer’s diverse membership base, including telephone cooperatives, electric cooperatives, municipal systems, public utility districts, a statewide association and a generation cooperative.
Now—through the power of cooperation—216 members and almost 100 additional utilities across the nation work together to strengthen electric and broadband utility stories with Pioneer’s shared communication and efficiency solutions.
“It’s great to see our co-op grow,” Peters says.
Membership is available exclusively to not-for-profit utilities and the associations serving them. Members must subscribe to at least one Pioneer service. Co-op membership isn’t required to work with Pioneer, but it has great benefits, including the ability to vote for directors and receive co-op member credits.
Video Highlights
During the meeting Pioneer shared how Utility Pioneers are using cooperatively created solutions to meet common challenges across the nation. The co-op’s annual report videos showcased voices of Utility Pioneers and Pioneer’s team of utility storytellers.
Watch the videos and get key takeaways about each core message in the 2023 Pioneer Utility Resources’ Member Report.