CEO’s Message – July 2024
Upholding the Ideals of Your Cooperative
I’m overwhelmed by the congratulations and good wishes that have been pouring in since the announcement of my new role as CEO. I’m humbled by the responsibilities the board of directors has entrusted to me and the support of my colleagues. It’s an incredibly exciting time to lead our team in serving you, our members.
For the past 39 years, it has been my privilege to serve you in various roles. Early in my career, I focused on designing power lines to serve new accounts. Next, I turned my attention to increasing efficiency and controlling costs through purchasing and materials management. I then had the privilege of working in member services, where I planned events and participated in community activities that engaged our members, solved problems, and provided information.
Working in government affairs aligned my passion for politics with my desire to protect your interests. Most recently, I have focused on securing your continued access to safe, reliable, affordable, and carbon-free wholesale electricity and building a culture of service with my fellow employees. I sometimes joke that I’ve had every job in the company except climbing poles and fixing trucks.
In every role, my priority has always been providing the best possible service to you. My experience has given me intimate knowledge of our service territory and electric grid, familiarity with our membership and its needs, and an understanding of our business model. My experience helps me understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving our goals and overcoming obstacles.
As we face challenges such as aging infrastructure, wildfire prevention, restrictive regulation, and securing affordable wholesale energy, I am confident we have everything we need to serve our communities. Our dedicated team of employees is committed to providing safe, reliable, and efficient service, and our board of directors is committed to ensuring we meet our mission. We focus on continual improvement and making decisions based on the best interests of our entire membership.
I want to thank the courageous souls who had the vision to bring electricity to this area 66 years ago. I also want to thank my predecessor, Clay Fitch, for his mentorship and tireless service to you for the past 37 years.
We are the stewards of what they built and endeavor to ensure it continues to serve our communities. I look forward to serving you in this new capacity and pledge to always uphold the ideals of your cooperative.
Best wishes,
Thad S. Ballard
CEO
