inside your co•op


A monthly newsletter of Choctaw Electric Cooperative.


BOARD OF TRUSTEES


Brent Franks, President Joe M. Silk, Vice President


Mike Brewer, Secretary Treasurer Stacy Nichols


George Burns Ken Autry


Bill Woolsey


Norman Ranger Becky Franks


MANAGEMENT AND STAFF


Kenneth J. Gates, Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Smith, Executive Assistant Jia Johnson, Director of Public Relations Craig McBrain, Chief Financial Officer Jim Malone, Director of Operations Darrell Ward, System Services Manager


HUGO OFFICE PO Box 758 Hwy 93 North


Hugo, Oklahoma 74743


Toll Free: (800) 780-6486 Local: (580) 326-6486 FAX (580) 326-2492


Monday-Friday • 8 am - 5 pm IDABEL OFFICE


2114 SE Washington Idabel, Oklahoma 74745


Toll Free: (800) 780-6486 Local: (580) 286-7155


Monday-Friday • 8 am - 5 pm


ANTLERS OFFICE HC 67 Box 62


Antlers, Oklahoma 74523 (One mile east of Antlers)


Toll Free: (800) 780-6486 Local: (580) 298-3201


Monday-Friday • 8 am - 5 pm On the Web:


www.choctawelectric.coop


24 Hour Outage Hotline 800-780-6486


2 | FEBRUARY 2017 | CEC Inside Your Co-op


Putting Their Lives on The Line MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE


C


hoctaw Electric lineworkers don’t work alone on our


power lines. Whether they are climbing poles, restoring power, or clearing tree limbs to prevent future outages, they're never far from the hearts of their family members.


If the lights go out, your co-op linemen go out into the elements. When other electric cooperatives are in trouble after devastating tornadoes, floods, or ice storms our linemen travel to the affected areas to bring the lights back on for complete strangers. As this newsletter went to press, your co-op linemen were assisting western Oklahoma co-ops hit by the January 14 ice storm. Each time our crews leave home to help those in need, their families are left behind, hoping for their safe return.


BY KENNETH J. GATES cHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


Marrying into this profession isn’t easy. Linemen are often on call, and must be ready to respond at a moment’s notice when they are needed. Sometimes this interferes with soccer games, birthdays, graduations, and holiday get-togethers. But the linemen who keep your power flowing make sacrifices because they know without their commitment, many of the things we’ve come to expect—cold


food, lights, entertainment—wouldn’t be possible. By devoting their lives to working on utility lines, they connect all of us to a better way of life.


Working with high-voltage electricity, lineworkers find themselves in life and death situations on a regular basis. That’s why Choctaw Electric focuses on safety first. Our field employees attend monthly safety meetings that highlight potential hazards and how to avoid them. We know the family members of our 24 linemen appreciate the time we take to make sure they get home safe every night.


OFFICIAL


I’d like to take a moment to thank the family members who support the Choctaw Electric linemen who work long and hard to keep power flowing to our homes.


At Choctaw Electric, we are committed to making sure your loved ones return home safe.


MINUTES


Scan this code with your smartphone or tablet to read the monthly minutes of your co-op board meeting. Minutes are also available at any CEC location.


To scan the code, install a Bar Code Scanner app, available at the App Store.


CEC


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