President and CEO - Curtis Wynn | Email
Letter from the CEO
We look back, as we continue to move forward
On behalf of our board and staff, I’d like to thank you for another year of service provided to you in the year 2010.
As we all set the stage for another banner year of service in 2011, I am mindful of a term originated in West African culture labeled “Sankofa.” This term simply means, “We must look back so we can move forward.” The official symbol of this term is that of a bird turning its head and body backwards to look at its tail.
This couldn’t be more evident, as 2010’s accomplishments built the foundation and bridge that will set the standard of excellence in 2011. I can proudly say that Roanoke Electric Cooperative lived up to its mission to provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity, while enhancing the quality of life in the diverse communities it serves in 2010.
In the year 2011, we will continue to strive for nothing short of this in establishing a high service level.
2010 Accomplishments
The year 2010 was a busy year for the staff as we settled in the new facility while promoting programs to serve your needs in this era of rising wholesale power costs. We appreciate all of your support in our grassroots efforts over the past year to communicate the need for a balanced approach toward addressing climate change. You’ve responded well to our calls to action to contact your legislators through the “Our Energy, Our Future” and “Find a Balanced Solution” campaigns.
In addressing the challenges of the local economy and the need for economic development, Roanoke Electric helped lead the effort to recruit a new employer to our area. REC helped Empire Foods receive a zero-interest loan from the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program. This was instrumental in convincing them to locate their new food-processing facility to Halifax County. The 200 jobs it is estimated to bring to our community over the next five years will be a boost.
To better serve you, system improvements completed via the most recent four-year Work Plan. This work mainly included replacing older deteriorated copper lines with newer aluminum lines, which enhances overall system reliability.
In an effort to reduce controllable expenses, the cooperative’s workforce was decreased by 20 percent through a special early retirement offering. The reduction in staff will capitalize on the implementation of many technological advances over the years and will result in a much leaner organization operating at a lower overall cost.
The “Kilowatcher” pay-as-you-go program was introduced in October 2008. This program facilitates member access to affordable and most importantly manageable electricity, and it has lowered the co-op’s bad debt write-offs. Approximately 600 members have taken advantage of this program and the number is increasing daily.
We improved upon a number of internal processes that resulted in a more efficient operation and cost savings. They included implementing a job-flow tracking system; performing contingency analysis on several of our substations to avoid costly extended outages; and better utilizing computer systems and programs to provide better service to our members.
Another significant step for the creation and adoption of a Strategic Communications Plan to integrate all the organization’s programs, public education and advocacy efforts. By planning a long-term strategy for the co-op’s efforts, we have positioned the co-op to be more proactive and strategic, rather than consistently reacting to the existing environment. The strategic plan will help the co-op deploy resources more effectively and strategically by highlighting synergies and shared opportunities in various programs and work areas.
Roanoke Electric offers a variety of energy efficiency and conservation programs to its members. These programs help the coop manage customer demand in an efficient, cost-effective manner. The programs help members save money on their energy bills by making their homes and businesses more energy efficient. Learn more about our programs at www.roanokeelectric.com/togetherwesave.
Moving forward in 2011
We will continue to develop and maintain programs that will assist in recruiting more businesses to Roanoke Electric Cooperative’s service territory and ultimately increase electric sales. This goal will be accomplished through the following tasks:
- Utilize REDLG funding for viable, job creating projects that have adequate security/collateral.
- Establish and promote a revolving loan fund utilizing proceeds from the grant portion of USDA REDLG funds and other sources that may become available.
- More aggressively promote The Rural Center’s microenterprise loan and capital access programs.
- Continue to partner with area economic development directors and chambers of commerce to promote economic growth in the region.
The coop plans to begin executing initiatives identified in the Strategic Communications Plan completed in 2010.
Other projects on the horizon are:
- Increased usage of the company’s software system to better manage billing and payment posting functions
- Improving pre-screening process for members seeking assistance from the cooperative’s energy efficiency offerings
- Incorporate a new satisfaction survey module to ensure Roanoke stands out among cooperatives that are “best in class”
- Improving accounting procedures to cut costs and update personnel information
We are also looking at providing more options for the “Kilowatcher: pay-as-you-go metering program to offer one-time payment posting and automatic service reconnection in an attempt to better serve our members.
We will continue to live up to the co-op’s mission of providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity while enhancing the quality of life in the diverse communities we serve. We look forward to another great year in 2011.
