After unveiling a new membership-benefits program and a modernized company logo, 4-County Electric Power Association officials announced the re-election of two directors.
About 450 member-owners of the utility company attended the annual membership meeting and health fair Thursday afternoon at East Mississippi Community College.
CEO Joe Cade said members would receive Touchstone Energy cards this summer because of the cooperative”s connection to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
The cards will give members discounts at a wide variety of major hotels and businesses, including average savings of 35 percent at many major pharmacies.
Jon Turner, 4-County communications director, said the cooperative was also working to introduce the cards to local businesses.
“When you see that (Touchstone Energy logo at a business), it”ll remind you that we”re working hard to save you money,” he said.
But the cooperative did better than just save money this past year. According to financial documents given out at the meeting, 4-County made a $6.5-million profit this year.
Although it”s been a good year, Cade said it”s also been a rough year as the South has been ripped apart by bad weather and tornadoes.
The April 27 tornadoes caused $2 million in 4-County system damage, broke 300 poles and damaged and downed more than 17 miles of wire, he said while thanking the employees who worked through the storms.
“These guys were on the front lines,” Cade said of the linemen lined up at the front of the audience. “And we had some good guys back in the office also.”
To remind members that, as Cade said, “when your power is out, 4-County is out,” the cooperative is also rolling out a new logo that gets rid of the lightning bolt and emphasizes the “4” more.
The new logo should begin appearing on all company vehicles and signs soon, Turner said.
The logo is just one of the updates at the cooperative. Cade said staff is also setting up a Twitter account, a daily billing option, an option to front-load billing accounts, a new reporting system that sends service calls automatically to the nearest truck and an automated telephone system.
“As you can see, we”re using every tool to make us more efficient,” Cade said.
After concluding company announcements, the results of the elections were announced: Two incumbents — Mike Banks of Macon and Johnny Johnson of Columbus — were re-elected in their uncontested elections Thursday to the seven-member board. Each received about 6,000 votes.
Other board members are John Scarbrough of Lowndes County, Kenneth Seitz of Oktibbeha County, Ernest H. “Bud” Tumlinson of Clay and Monroe counties, Thomas M. “Marty” Crowder of Choctaw and Winston Counties, and President John E. “Jay” Gilliland Jr. of Webster and Chickasaw counties.
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