CEO Corner

Everything we do at White River Valley Electric Cooperative is rooted in care, commitment, and a promise to serve you – our members – with your best interests at heart.

Loving our members means more than keeping the lights on. It means listening, planning, and investing wisely so our Cooperative stays strong for generations to come. It is that commitment that led us to creating our fiber subsidiary White River Connect. Just as reliable electricity became essential decades ago; fast, dependable broadband is now critical for education, healthcare, business, and to stay connected to those you love. By expanding into fiber, we are strengthening our communities and ensuring rural areas aren’t left behind in a digital world. The team at White River Connect has been working hard to ensure every member living in Christian, Douglas, Ozark, Stone, and Taney counties have access to high-speed internet. By the end of second quarter of this year, all WRVEC members will have the opportunity to sign up for this service. A commitment we’ve been working tirelessly to achieve to which we are ahead of schedule.

Love is also about honesty even when conversations are difficult. Beginning April 1, a 4% rate increase on energy use will take effect. Rising costs for materials, labor, and system maintenance have made this adjustment necessary to continue delivering safe and reliable service. To lessen the impact on our members, we are using incremental smaller rate adjustments, rather than larger increases, to help spread the costs more gradually over time. As a member-owned cooperative, we work hard to control costs and keep rates as affordable as possible. This approach reflects careful planning and long-term responsibility.

At the heart of everything we do is a simple truth—we exist to serve you. Whether it’s investing in infrastructure, expanding fiber internet, or being transparent about upcoming changes; our actions are guided by caring for our members and our communities. After all, White River Valley Electric Cooperative was built out of love and respect for our neighbors living in rural areas. Together, we continue to grow, connect, and thrive.