CEO Corner

Each October, National Cooperative Month recognizes the vital role that cooperatives play in strengthening communities across the United States and around the world. Cooperatives are unique businesses that are owned and governed by their members, and they operate based on seven guiding principles — one of the most impactful being “Cooperation Among Cooperatives.”

This principle comes to life in many ways. For example, when severe weather strikes and knocks out power, electric cooperatives quickly send crews to assist their neighboring co-ops with restoration efforts if additional help is needed. This system of mutual aid ensures faster recovery and reflects the cooperative spirit that puts people before profit. In 2025, our cooperative provided mutual aid to Ozark Electric, Sac Osage Electric, and Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative following devastation this past spring and summer. But these cooperatives and more have been quick to come to the aid of you – our members – when our own cooperative has experienced widespread outages due to storms.

The commitment to service extends beyond our area’s borders. One powerful example of this is when White River’s own Gainesville linemen, Matt Lumley and Steve Martin, traveled to the rural areas of Guatemala to help bring electricity to remote villages through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) International Program. In many of these areas, families had never had access to reliable power. Through hard work, technical skill, and compassion, the linemen worked side by side with local communities to install poles, string lines, and connect homes — literally bringing light where there was none. This project not only improves the quality of life for villagers but also creates opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development.

These efforts highlight what sets cooperatives apart: a deep-rooted mission to support not only their own communities, but also others in need. Whether it’s answering the call after a storm or traveling thousands of miles to empower a village, cooperatives live their values every day.

As we celebrate National Cooperative Month, it’s a time to recognize the incredible impact of our member-owned organization and the people who power your homes and businesses. Cooperation among cooperatives is more than a principle — it’s a promise to stand together, lend a hand, and light the way forward.