,

Hurricane Assistance

Tennessee electric cooperatives send volunteers to restore power in Virginia, Maryland

NASHVILLE – As the massive Hurricane Sandy bears down on the Atlantic Seaboard, 60 lineworkers from Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are prepared to assist with power restoration once the storm subsides.

“Seven Tennessee cooperatives are sending volunteer lineworkers and equipment to assist cooperatives in Virginia and Maryland,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We expect this storm to cause extensive power outages, and our crews are staged in the area to respond quickly once it is safe to do so.”

Emergency work plans were put into place on Friday, Oct. 26, and crews from Tennessee headed for Virginia and Maryland beginning early on Saturday, Oct. 27. This cooperation is enabled through mutual aid agreements between electric cooperatives.

Assisting Northern Neck Electric Cooperative in Warsaw, Va.:

  • four lineworkers from Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Somerville

Assisting Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Fredericksburg, Va.:

  • five lineworkers from Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Shelbyville
  • four from Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, Madisonville
  • 12 from Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, New Tazewell

Assisting Choptank Electric Cooperative in Denton, Md.:

  • eight lineworkers from Fayetteville Public Utilities, Fayetteville

Assisting A&N Electric Cooperative in Tasley, Va.:

  • 10 lineworkers from Appalachian Electric Cooperative, New Market

Assisting Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative in New Castle, Va.:

  • nine lineworkers from Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Brownsville

Assisting Community Electric Cooperative in Windsor, Va.:

  • eight lineworkers from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg

Tennessee’s Mountain Electric Cooperative, Mountain City, is expecting more than 10 inches of snow to fall in its service area as a result of the hurricane.  MEC abandoned plans to assist in Virginia and are now prepared to respond in the event of snow-related outages.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade association representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million members they serve.

#   #   #

Contact:
Trent Scott | [email protected] | 731.608.1519

Updates will be provided as additional details become available.

/0 Comments/by
,

Gibson EMC’s Rodamaker Recognized with National Honor

Gibson Electric Membership Corporation President and CEO Dan Rodamaker recently received the Touchstone Energy Brand Champion Award in recognition of living the “power of human connections.”  Rodamaker was the only co-op leader in Tennessee and one of only six co-op leaders in the nation to receive this award.

“I’m honored to receive this award, but I’m more proud of what it represents,” Rodamaker said.  “Gibson EMC, our leadership and our employees work conscientiously every day to provide our members with the highest level of service excellence,” he said.  “This is our ongoing commitment to our members and to the communities we serve.”

As part of its efforts toward service excellence, Gibson EMC surveys member-owners and benchmarks its survey results against those of other electric energy providers.  The rating from Gibson EMC’s last survey was a 91 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a system used nationally to rate performance and customer satisfaction among energy providers.  This was nine points higher than the average of 82 for other Touchstone Energy Cooperatives for the same period and 16 points ahead of the national utility industry average.

“Naturally we’re honored by our member-owners’ ratings and by Touchstone Energy’s recognition of our utility,” said Rodamaker, “but it only strengthens our commitment to serve our members and our communities even better going forward.”

Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service to customers large and small.  More than 700 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives in 46 states are delivering energy and energy solutions to more than 27 million customers every day.  Touchstone Energy Cooperatives serve members with integrity, accountability, innovation and a longstanding commitment to communities.

Gibson EMC, a Touchstone Energy Member since 2006, is a local, not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled electric cooperative. Gibson EMC serves about 35,000 member-owners in Gibson, Crockett, Dyer, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, and Obion counties.  Its corporate customer service center is in Trenton and its satellite customer service centers are in Alamo, Medina, Tiptonville and Troy.

/0 Comments/by
,

Allison named TRA Director

Jim Allison, president and CEO of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, has been named as a director for the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by Gov. Bill Haslam.

“TECA staff has been supportive of Jim’s selection, and we’re extremely pleased to learn of his appointment as a TRA director,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Jim is a well-respected leader, and brings extensive utility industry experience to the TRA.”

A media release from Gov. Bill Haslam’s office is attached.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 31, 2012

NEW TENNESSEE REGULATORY AUTHORITY TAKES FORM
Executive director, two directors appointed to reconfigured TRA

NASHVILLE – The newly reconfigured Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) has its first full-time executive director and two new part-time directors after Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s reforms were passed during this year’s legislative session.

Haslam worked with Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) and House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) on the joint appointments of business executive Earl Taylor as executive director and utility industry veteran James Allison as a director.

The governor also appointed Herbert Hilliard, executive vice president and chief government relations officer of First Horizon National Corporation, as a TRA director.

“It is our job to make state government as accountable and responsive as possible to Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “These appointees bring years of experience and expertise to the TRA. I am grateful for their willingness to serve our citizens and appreciate the lieutenant governor and house speaker for their efforts in this selection process.

Passed during this year’s legislative session and signed into law by Haslam, HB 2385/SB 2247 changed the membership of the TRA from four full-time members to five part-time members and established the executive director position, the first of which was to be jointly appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and house speaker.

The TRA sets utility rates and service standards of privately-owned telephone, natural gas, electric and water utilities.

Taylor practiced law in Johnson City for ten years and has an executive background as part owner of the CBS affiliate in Knoxville and as a business developer in Knoxville, the Tri-Cities area, Florida and Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a J.D. from the University of Memphis. Taylor serves as a Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority commissioner, Knoxville Fellows Program mentor and as a Young Life of Knoxville committee member.

Allison has utilities experience in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, and is also regarded as one of the top instant replay officials in college football after having been an on-field official in the Southeastern Conference for more than 12 years.

Hilliard has spent 42 years at First Horizon and is currently the board chair for the National Civil Rights Museum, a board member of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee and a commissioner for the Memphis/Shelby County Airport Authority.

###
/0 Comments/by
,

Chelsea Rose joins TECA staff

NASHVILLE – Chelsea Rose is joining the staff of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association as Government Affairs Assistant. In this position, Rose will track legislation and communicate with law makers at the state and federal levels for the association that represents electric cooperative consumers across the state.

Rose has previous experience with Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s office. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in agriculture communications from Tennessee Technological University and is pursuing a master’s degree through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Rose lives in Lancaster with her husband, John Rose. They own and operate a farm, which is in both DeKalb and Smith Counties and produces Hereford cattle, tobacco and hay. She has been active in Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) as the state president and as a national vice president. She is a member of the Tennessee FFA Alumni Association, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation.

“We are excited to have someone with Chelsea’s skills and rural background join our team,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for TECA. “She will be an asset to TECA and the electric cooperatives of Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade group representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million consumers they serve.

/1 Comment/by
,

TECA takes on Cable

TECA’s David Callis responds to Cable’s presentation to Senate Commerce Committee during the 2012 Legislative Rally on March 13th.

Get Microsoft Silverlight

/0 Comments/by
,

Safety & Loss Control Instructor – MS

Electric Power Associations of Mississippi

Ridgeland, MS

Job Description

 

      Job Title:            Safety and Loss Control Instructor

Department:            Safety and Loss Control

 Reports To:            Vice President, Safety and Loss Control

            Date:            March 1, 2012

 

SUMMARY

 

Administers monthly safety and loss control meetings to all Electric Power Associations in Mississippi. Participates in schools, seminars and other functions as needed. Helps implement the Emergency Work Plan during times of disaster. Responsible for the planning, development and implementation of safety and training programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPOSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Plan, write, organize and teach electric distribution subjects and regulatory compliance to Electric Power Association personnel.

Must be a good communicator and have excellent speaking skills to work with both small and large audiences.

Willing to assist, supervise or train at lineman schools, seminars and other functions as needed by the Association and/or Vice President, Safety and Loss Control.

Conduct safety audits on Electric Power Association crews and facilities and report results to proper personnel.

Must be available to provide disaster assistance to the Associations and be willing to assist in system restoration.

Must be able to provide safety and loss control guidance to system employees that will maximize a safer work environment, compliance and education.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Must possess a minimum of a high school diploma and have a minimum of four years experience with an electric utility, preferably line construction and maintenance.

Must have experience and knowledge of powerline construction including RUS, NESC, OSHA, DOT and EPA regulations

Possessing the qualification or willing to earn the qualification of Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or the NRECA Certified Loss Control Professional (CLCP), is highly desired.

Computer skills, especially in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Outlook, is highly recommended.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is both inside and outside the Associations. Some irregular hours including night, weekends and holidays may be required.

Extensive travel within the state of Mississippi and limited out of state travel.

Must reside within reasonable commuting distance to the EPA office in Ridgeland.

SALARY

$50K – $65K. Salary to be determined by work related experience, education and pre-qualifications.

CONTACT

Micheal Weltzheimer, CLCP

Assistant to the Vice President, Safety and Loss Control

Electric Power Associations of Mississippi

P.O. Box 3300 – Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300

Fax: (601) 605-8601

[email protected]

/0 Comments/by
,

Watson new DREMC VP

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation Creates and Fills the Position of Vice President.

SHELBYVILLE – The Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) Board of Directors recently took action to elect Michael Watson to the position of Vice President, effective February 1, 2012.

After working for Memphis Light Gas and Water for five years in the substation and protective relaying department, Mr. Watson began his career at DREMC nearly 20 years ago in the engineering department. Watson was promoted to the Shelbyville/Lynchburg District Manager position, which he held for approximately five years, and has served as the Director of Operations for the past 10 years. “In each of his positions at DREMC Michael has tackled numerous complex projects and is currently overseeing DREMC’s entrance into automated meter reading and other technical projects,” stated DREMC CEO, Jim Allison.

Michael received his masters of electrical engineering from the University of Memphis, his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Mississippi State, and is also a registered professional engineer in the State of Tennessee. Michael is a member of NRECA’s T&D Engineering Committee and served as a past chairman of the power quality subcommittee.

“Michael has been a tremendous asset to Duck River Electric throughout his tenure here and I would like to be the first to congratulate him in his new position,” stated Allison.

Watson commented, “I am honored to have been considered for this position and I look forward to the opportunity to continue helping DREMC best serve its members.” Michael Watson currently resides in Shelbyville, TN with his wife Dianne and three children, Ruth, Will, and Wes.

Duck River EMC, a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative, is an electric distribution cooperative with its headquarters in Shelbyville, TN. For more information please contact Duck River EMC at 931.684.4621 or visit our website at www.dremc.com.

Download a high resolution image of Michael Watson.

/0 Comments/by
, ,

Callis Appointed General Manager

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, an organization representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million consumers they serve, announces the appointment of David Callis as executive vice president and general manager. Callis replaces Tom Purkey who recently announced his retirement.

Callis began his career with the Tennessee Valley Authority as an accountant and then as supervisor of power revenue. He then worked at Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation for almost nine years, serving first as director of finance and administration and then as general manager. In 2001 he joined the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association as the director of government and public affairs, and in 2010 he was named vice president of statewide services. Callis has served on the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives and the South Kentucky Industrial Development Association.

Callis and wife Dawnn have been married for 32 years and have two children, Megan, 27, and Brian, 23. Dawnn works with XO Communications in Nashville. Megan works as a legislative assistant for Tennessee State Senator Tim Barnes and is attending law school. Brian is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and works as an accountant at Franke in Smyrna.

“David has a deep appreciation for the electric cooperative business model,” says Bill Rogers, president of the association’s board of trustees. “He is immensely talented, well respected and a passionate advocate for Tennessee’s cooperatives and their members.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical.

Download a high-resolution image of David Callis.

 

/0 Comments/by

MLEC selects Bates to follow Carothers

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative has chosen Dwight Bates of Centerville to lead its Hickman County District Office when current manager Marshall Carothers retires in January.  He steps into the position with 30 years of service to MLEC.

Bates’ background in MLEC’s engineering department, working directly with members on new services, and assisting line crews in outage situations will be a benefit as he transitions into this new role. He began training with Carothers in December.

“I’m looking forward to working with our members and helping where I can,” says Bates.

Dwight and wife Wanda make their home in Centerville. He enjoys hunting, fishing, photography and cooking for friends and family.

/0 Comments/by