Rock Energy Cooperative Us... · 2016-12-28 · Rock County Electric Coop-erative Association (RCECA) with offices in Janesville, Wisconsin, is to provide its members and members

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE • CELEB

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75 YEARS OF SERVICE • CELEBRATING 75

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Rock Energy Cooperative

This guide is one of the two options for placing a pull quote. Pull boxes should be taken from the History book library and only be changed in height.

The story should start just below this guide. It can also be a natural place to put the top or bottom of photos (this is just a suggestion and not a rule).


Dear Members:

When the Rock County Electric Cooperative As-sociation was formed in 1936, I truly doubt anyone could have predicted how prevalent electricity would become in our everyday lives. In the beginning, our co-op’s founders merely wanted the convenience of electricity supplied to their farms and homes so their lives could become more productive and more secure. With undeterred dedication, they overcame many difficulties to make their dream of energizing the countryside a reality. Through the years, your co-op has grown from 166 ac-counts in rural Rock County to more than 27,000 meters that Rock Energy Cooperative now serves in nine counties that span two states. That growth demonstrates the critical role that electricity and the cooperative business model play in the lives of so many. We look at our first 75 years as a great foundation on which to build. Your co-op’s directors and employees have a tremendous responsibility to continue the tradition of hard work and devotion that the founders first demonstrated in 1936. While it won’t be easy, with the support of dedicated members like you, I’m confident that the next 75 years will be as successful as the first 75. The energy business is constantly changing, but one thing will never change: our commitment to you — our members. We are dedicated to providing you with safe, reli-able, and affordable energy. This commitment will guide us into the future as we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. We will never forget our roots. From the Board of Directors to all of our employees, we truly appreciate the opportunity to serve your energy needs. Cooperatively yours,

Shane L. LarsonChief Executive Officer

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE • CELEBRAT

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75 YEARS OF SERVICE • CELEBRATING 75 YEARS

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CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE

Shane L. LarsonChief Executive

OfficerRock Energy Cooperative

A message from your CEO

The crowd that gathered at the J.O. Wood-man farm in La Prairie Township on the

morning of July 15, 1937, did not come to see the cows being milked or to learn about the family’s dairy operation. Instead, people came to celebrate the arrival of electricity to the Rock County countryside. Engineer Harold Durnin climbed a utility pole at 9 a.m. to turn on the first electricity used by Rock County Electric Cooperative Association. Lights came on, and an electric whistle sounded to celebrate the occasion. Soon after, attention turned to the meter on the side of the house that began to register the flow of electricity. That event at the Woodman farm was the beginning of a day filled with jubilation throughout the area. Later in the day, 122 miles of line were energized in La Prairie, Bradford, Turtle and Clinton townships in Rock County and Darien and Sharon townships in Walworth County. When the sun set that night, farmers who had been accustomed to firing up kerosene lanterns instead just flipped a switch to light up their homes and barns. Finally, rural folks had the same convenience that city residents had enjoyed for years. Woodman and other area farmers realized that electricity was a necessity for progressive farming. They requested power from the local utility company, but the answer was always the same – it was not economically

feasible to construct power lines to serve rural areas. Woodman even offered to pay the $750 cost of running lines to his farm, but the utility said farmers would not use enough power to make the venture profitable. Undiscouraged, the rural people turned their thinking to a cooperative program to provide electric power distribution from a central source. When the federal Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was initiated by an act of Congress in 1935, Rock County was prepared to launch a program to give its rural areas electricity. On April 23, 1936, articles of incorporation were filed in the office of Secretary of State Theodore Dammon. The purpose as incorporated, “The Rock County Electric Coop-erative Association (RCECA) with offices in Janesville, Wisconsin, is to provide its members and members only with electrical energy for light, heat, and power and any other purposes for which electrical energy can be used, energy to be provided at approximate cost and without profit.” The original incorporators listed are George Ballmer, Ed Mahlum, Michael Weis, Emmett Yale, C. J. Damerow, James A. Conway, J. O. Woodman, H. S. Anderson, William Florin, Clarence Knutson, Adam Lunowa, Grant Rice, H. A. Haried and J. B. Dybevik.

Rock EnergyCooperative

In the cooperative’s 75-year

history, there were only 10 years

— from 1961 to 1971 — when a

Dybevik was not a director.




J. O. Woodman’s farm was the first to be energized as a reward because he worked so hard to convince his farming neighbors to become members of the newly formed coop-erative and ultimately to have electric service. Getting people signed up was absolutely necessary because the co-op had to show the Rural Electrification Administration that it had an average of three potential consumers per mile of line. “In 1936, that was a severe winter,” J. O. Woodman’s son, Ivan, recalled in a 1985 interview. “The roads were blocked for days, and it was terribly cold, but that wouldn’t stop Dad. We had a mule, a faithful animal named Ginger, and Dad rode that mule to neighboring farms because that was the only way he could get through.” “If I go out in this kind of weather, the farmers are going to be home,” J. O. Woodman told his family. Some farmers resisted because they thought the local utility company eventually would bring them power and it would be more reliable than what the co-op could provide, said Ivan, who ran the family farm while his father was promoting the co-op. Farmers also were concerned about investing the $2 or $3 membership fee, which was a lot of money in those days. Stanley Dybevik recalled that he was about 6 years old when his father, J. B.

Dybevik, started talking about getting electricity to their house. “My dad went out and started organizing and contacting neighbors to see if they could get an electric cooperative going, which of course meant nothing to me,” Dybevik said.

“He just told me we were going to get lights.” Stanley grew up right along with the co-op and is proud that his father was one of the founders. J. B. Dybevik served as a direc-tor for 25 years, starting in 1936 when few people lived in the rural areas and established power companies concerned with making a profit didn’t see the point in electrifying the countryside. Stanley followed in his father’s footsteps and was appointed to the board in 1971. In the cooperative’s 75-year his-tory, there were only 10 years — from 1961

to 1971 — when a Dybevik was not a director. Serving as a co-op director also was a family tradi-tion in the Trescher and Nelson house-

holds. William Trescher was on the board from 1943 to 1952, followed by his son, Howard, who was a director from 1962 to 2004. When Howard died, his wife, Marian, was elected to continue the family tradi-tion. Morris Nelson, a director since 1997, followed the path of his father, Wayne, who served on the board from 1962 to 1997. Combined, the Dybevik, Trescher and Nelson families have a total of 171 years

The co-op’s first head-quarters was located on Holmes Street in Janes-ville but was destroyed by fire on July 18, 1948. This photo taken in 1949 shows the building after it was reconstructed at the same location.

Combined, the Dybevik, Trescher

and Nelson families have a total

of 171 years serving the co-op.

serving the co-op. The dedication and com-mitment of these people and all the others involved in the co-op through the years have led to the success of Rock County Electric Cooperative Association. Early co-op leaders faced many obstacles, but they persisted in their vision that every-one who wants electricity should have it re-gardless of where they live. By Aug. 17, 1936, with 199 fully paid memberships on record, the co-op applied for a loan of $430,000 to cover the cost of constructing 414 miles of power distribution line and buying necessary equipment such as transformers and meters. By-laws of the cooperative provided for a Board of Directors composed of nine members. The first board included Grant Rice, George Ballmer, William Florin, H. A. Haried, Michael Weis, Ed Mahlum, Emmett Yale, J. B. Dybevik and Ralph Meech. These men spent many hours with no reimburse-ment to manage the affairs of the coopera-tive in its infancy. The REA honored the loan application, and a total membership meeting authorized the finalization of the $430,000 loan. Not one dissenting vote was cast by the 146 members present. Soon after, rumors started circulating that rural people could lose their farms because they would be obligated to repay the $430,000. Others withdrew their member-ship because they heard that Wisconsin Power & Light Co. was purchasing the lines and the cooperative was dissolving. To dispel these rumors, a special meeting was called to approve this resolution, “Be it resolved, that the Board of Directors of Rock County Electric Cooperative do hereby go on record stating that they do not wish to, nor will they, bargain with the Wisconsin Power & Light Co. in regard to selling or leasing its lines, or any portion of its project to said Power & Light Co.” Electric lines were constructed, but work progressed at a slow pace because materials were in short supply. Technical problems were taken care of by the Statewide Electric Cooperation Association, and in many cases poles were set by farm people themselves. Although no energy had been distributed

over the lines, Manager Frank Gates was hired on March 23, 1937, and a contract was negotiated with Fairbanks Morse Co. of Beloit to supply electric energy at 7,200 volts to the lines of the Rock County Electric Cooperative. Fairbanks, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of electric generating equipment at the time, agreed to supply 600,000 kilowatt hours monthly when lines were completed. With assurance that the lines soon would be energized, the board adopted a schedule of rates. The first rate schedule included a $3.50 minimum monthly bill with 50 kilowatt hours of power included. The next 50 were 4.5 cents each, and all over 100 were 2 cents each. This rate remained in effect for 30 years. “In July 1937, from all the efforts that Dad put into it, we had the opportunity and the privilege of being the first farm in Rock County to be turned on,” recalled Ivan

The Woodman family photo album includes this one of J. O. Woodman, grandkids Bob and Nancy, and Ginger, the faithful mule. During the winter of 1936, Woodman rode the mule to neighboring farms in an effort to recruit members for the newly formed co-op.




Woodman, who served on the co-op’s Board of Directors from 1962 to 1991. “You can’t imagine what a thrill it was to see those buildings lit up at night.” At the time, the Woodman barn had six 40-watt bulbs. “It was so bright, you just couldn’t imagine it,” Ivan said. It was bright compared to the kerosene lanterns farmers had used for years, but it would be considered dim by modern standards. In 1985, Ivan said, “Just in back of the cows, we have 12, 100-watt bulbs.” Since then, the industry has made even more lighting advancements. J. O. Woodman and his family had waited a long time for electricity. They built a new house on the farm in 1934 and had all the electrical and plumbing fixtures installed so they would be ready when power became available. Ivan’s wife, Irene, knew all about the conveniences of electricity because she grew up in Janesville, where homes had power. But she moved to the Woodman farm in 1933 when she married Ivan and took a step backward in terms of electricity. She recalled taking their laundry back to town on washing day and eventually buying a washing

machine six months before electricity came to their home. By August 1937, power lines in Sharon, Clinton, Turtle, La Prairie, Bradford, Darien and Johnstown had been energized by the Fairbanks Morse plant. In the next two months, lines became operative throughout the county. By November, the original 414 miles of line had been completed. The cooperative had only four employees at the time — general manager, office secretary and two linemen with one small pickup truck as a service vehicle. Needless to say, service was inefficient because 414

miles of line were too much for two men to patrol. Ivan Woodman recalled that depend-able power was an issue in the early days. The lights would flash and then be out

for an hour or so, he said. But few people complained because they were just so happy to have electricity. Besides, they knew it was a new enterprise and service would improve. After the initial energy was supplied, the cooperative grew in membership. Many people could not get their homes and farms wired because the demand for electricians was high and few were available. Many

This photo, taken in the early 1950s, shows co-op representatives with a brand new vehicle. At the time, this utility vehicle was considered state-of-the-art.

In its 75 years of operation, more

than $9 million has been paid

back to past and current members

through the capital credit system.

transformers that had been installed were not in service because the farms had not yet been wired. The average monthly electric bill per farm connected in the fall of 1938 totaled $4.47, or less than 75 kilowatt hours per month. The monthly consumption grew during the war years as farmers pressed to attain full production of food. By 1945, the power load had grown to such magnitude that the directors sought other sources of generation. Membership had grown to 1,560, and the co-op hoped to build another 100 miles of

line to reach about 600 rural households that still were without power. As the power supply grew more serious, Fairbanks Morse could not generate the supply needed to carry the load and its trans-formers were overloaded. Dairyland Power Cooperative of La Crosse became a remote consideration. However, 80 miles of trans-mission line would need to be constructed at a tremendous cost, and material was scarce. Wisconsin Power & Light Co. (WP&L) began to see the cooperative as a source of revenue, and their offer to supply power was

The co-op sponsored a series of meetings in 1953 to educate members about how they could use home appliances productively, safely and economically. Each meeting attracted about 200 people who watched a cooking show and washing machine and dryer demonstration.




seriously considered. Early in 1948, contracts were negotiated and agreements signed to purchase electric energy from WP&L. In announcing the discontinuance of wholesale power service from Fairbanks, RCECA Manager E. W. Welch emphasized that the step was taken only because the cost of line conversion would be too great in view of predicted loads of farm users. “When these lines were first built, they were built on a basis of around 100 kilowatt hours per member per month,” Welch said. “At the present time, our average per member is over 300 kilowatt hours per month. “The Fairbanks Morse Co. has been 100 percent cooperative with us, and we can’t say anything that would be too nice about them. Many of the cooperative’s members will recall that Fairbanks Morse made it possible for this co-op to get started originally, when there was no other source of adequate power available to the cooperative at reasonable rates in this area.” Soon after the power supply situation was settled, on July 18, 1948, fire destroyed the office and headquarters on Holmes Street in

Janesville. Except for the bookkeeper’s books and membership lists kept in a fireproof safe, all records and equipment were gone. News reports at the time said the cause of the fire was never determined.

On the heels of the fire, C. H. Fos-ter, Manager since 1937, resigned, say-ing he was shocked by the disaster and felt unable to face the tremendous problems involved in restoring the co-op to normal operating proce-

dures. As always happens in the cooperative world, other co-ops provided emergency assistance in the form of spare equipment and materials. “The response from electric cooperatives throughout the state in offering help after the fire was greatly appreciated, and certainly most encouraging,” declared H. A. Haried, Board President at the time. “I wish to thank all cooperatives who volunteered a helping hand in restoring normal operations.” The co-op rebuilt on the Holmes Street site, and the new building was dedicated on Dec. 16, 1949. The prevailing message at the day’s festivities expressed the hope that the new building would serve “a life of usefulness

The 1953 line crew included, from left, fore-man Philip Yuengst, Wal-lace Hanson, Kenneth Morgan, Elmer Williams, Leroy Fitzsimmons, Ar-nold Erdman and James Polglaze.

“I think one of the greatest things

that’s happened in this country is

rural electrification. It’s been just

a wonderful thing to light up the

skies at night in the rural areas.”

– Stanley Dybevik

to all of its members.” The co-op declared its promise “of finer service, continued improve-ment in standards of rural living made pos-sible through electric power, and the pride of cooperative ownership.” REA Administrator Claude R. Wickard described the new building as “an example of what people can accomplish when they work together cooperatively. The building stands as a symbol of the success of your economic democracy — what happens when neighbors get together.” At the dedication ceremony, Haried said, “I know that I am speaking for the whole Board of Directors when I say that in spite of the many difficulties, the REA is the greatest improvement for rural life that has been accomplished in our present generation

… On our lines, there are milking machines, milk coolers, deep freezers, chicken brooders, pig brooders, washing machines, refrigera-tors and all known appliances in nearly every home, which tends to make farm living more worthwhile.” The cooperative’s capital credit system was established in the 1950s, providing that all margins above the expense of operating be allocated to each member on a prorated basis according to the amount of power used. In its 75 years of operation, more than $9 million has been paid back to past and current members.

By the 1950s, the co-op had succeeded in electrifying the countryside. Its mission now turned to providing members with informa-tion about how to use electric home appli-ances and farm equipment more productively, safely and economically. During 1953, the co-op and various farm organizations sponsored a series of evening rural meetings aimed at education. Each meeting attracted about 200 people. The first meeting at La Prairie Town Hall featured a cooking demonstration sponsored by General Electric Supply Co. of Rockford, Ill., and Roy’s Appliance of Janesville and Beloit. Fairbanks Morse Co. of Milwaukee along with its Janesville dealer, the Griswold Electric Shop, sponsored a second meeting about well construction and pump installa-tion at Fulton Community Hall. The third meeting at Turtle Grange Hall was spon-sored by James Manufacturing Co. of Fort Atkinson and focused on barn cleaners and ventilation equipment. The fourth meeting took place at the school auditorium in Footville, where a Farm Family Night was presented by Westing-house Electric Supply Co. of Milwaukee and Clyde Milbrandt, dealer for Westinghouse in Footville. A cooking show was presented as well as a washing machine and dryer demonstration. A similar meeting at the Milton Grange Hall was sponsored by

The men who served on the Board of Directors in the early days donated their time to the cause. In this 1947 photo, General Manager C. H. Foster, back row left, poses with, from left, back row: Clarence Leaver, Emmett Yale, James Conway, William Trescher, D. D. Merlet; front row: J. B. Dybevik, H. A. Haried, George Ballmer and R. B. Meech. Yale, Con-way, Dybevik, Haried and Ballmer also were founders of the co-op.




Westinghouse and Edgerton Electric Sales Co. “We feel that these programs created bet-ter public relations, not only with our mem-bers, but also with other farm organizations and urban citizens,” Emmett Yale, Chairman of the co-op’s Power Use Committee, said in 1953. The programs were successful in increas-ing the demand for electricity. In the decade between 1948 and 1958, kilowatt-hour consumption jumped from 6,000,000 per year to 17,616,000. Electricity was still new to the rural folks, and the co-op continued teaching about the basics of power use. In his 1957 annual report, General Manager E. W. Welch wrote, “We should put some of the calls that we get from some of our members in a humor section. After they have been taken care of, then you can laugh, if you do not have to pay the bill. However, all of these have to be paid for by all the members of the cooperative. “One morning around 5 a.m. we received a call from a member stating that she had no

lights, so we called our men out of bed. We have to pay them time and one-half for not less than two hours. On this particular trip, they drove 20 miles out and 20 miles back. What was wrong? She had a floor lamp that would not light up. Why? Because it was not plugged into the wall socket. Well, that was not all. Her light in the basement would not light. Why? She did not have a bulb in the socket. What would you say? Charge them for this service, or let the rest of the members pay for it? “We had a call from one of our members who was very much put out. He was out of power. We found that he had pulled his switch to do something in his home and had forgotten to put it back. He said that he was sorry, but it cost the cooperative money just the same. Most of these calls, by the way, come in after working hours.” But the calls to the co-op continued. In his 1960 annual report, Welch wrote: “We also receive many calls from members who blow their own fuses. They call us, we send men out on a truck, all of which costs the cooperative money. We would like to

More than 1,000 people attended annual co-op picnics during the 1940s. This photo shows the 1947 pie-eating con-test. Other competitions included hog calling, husband calling, dish washing, three-legged race, wheelbarrow race, slipper kicking and tug of war.

emphasize that these members check their fuses before calling us on an outage.” As the co-op’s system grew, maintenance of the lines became more important. In his 1962 annual report, General Manager Martin Oberdeck Jr. wrote: “As the load of each service grows with the new appliances and electrical devices coming on the con-sumer market every day, heavier and better materials are being used in line construction and maintenance. This includes maintenance such as tree removal, which causes problems in maintaining good continuous service to members. As each member becomes more dependent upon electricity to live comfort-ably, the proper maintenance of the distribu-tion line becomes more and more important.” Growth of the co-op was steady during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and by the early 1980s the co-op had outgrown its headquarters on Holmes Street in Janesville. The co-op purchased its current building at 2815 Kennedy Road in Janesville in 1984. The building contained 22,000 square feet of office and warehouse space and was retrofit-ted to meet the co-op’s needs. The co-op moved into its new facilities on Dec. 15, 1984, and the grand opening was held on Saturday, Sept. 7, 1985. More than 500 people braved the 90-degree heat to participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony and see the new building and equipment. The focal point was the group of Pioneer Mem-bers, some of whom had been on the lines of the co-op since its inception. The group was introduced and recognized for their many years as members of the co-op. Many of those present had experienced the joy of having electrical appliances for the very first time. “We have with us today several Pioneer Members, some of who have never lived on a farm or residence that was served by anyone other than Rock County Electric Coop-erative Association,” Chairman Howard Trescher said in his grand opening remarks. “We also have members that remember the first appliances that were purchased and have experienced the thrill of a refrigerator, electric range and a milking machine when used the very first time. Some of these people

remember the $3.50 minimum bill and the 40 kilowatt hours received under the mini-mum. They remember how difficult it was to consume 40 kilowatt hours monthly. There just weren’t enough appliances to use the minimum.” The cooperative experienced steady growth during the latter part of the 20th century. That growth, however, made a significant leap in 2007. On Feb. 6, 2007, after many months of preparation, RCECA acquired the electric and natural gas assets of South Beloit Water, Gas & Electric. With this transaction, the membership count increased nearly 10,000 to about 16,000 members in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

After outgrowing the Holmes Street location, the co-op moved into its current headquarters at 2815 Kennedy Road in Janesville on Dec. 15, 1984. More than 500 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Sept. 7, 1985.




“This is probably the most exciting and interesting period in your Rock County Electric Cooperative Association’s existence, other than, and since, its inception in 1936,” Chairman Stanley Dybevik wrote in his 2007 annual report. The acquisition process actually began in August 2004 when Alliant Energy an-nounced its intent to sell its Illinois assets. This was an opportunity for RCECA that had not been anticipated, and the manage-ment and board began investigating the possibility of purchasing those assets. The co-op was a logical buyer because of the geo-graphical location to the bordered territories and the probability of excellent operating efficiencies. The management and board did not go into this possible purchase lightly. An investment-banking firm based in Kansas City that specializes in utility acquisi-tions and mergers was hired to study the feasibility of the purchase. This was done in tremendous detail and thoroughly studied by RCECA management, board, staff and lawyers. Through the ensuing months of 2005 and 2006, the co-op went through the necessary regulatory and legislative steps required by Illinois. During this time, CEO Shane Larson and co-op staff worked diligently

and thoroughly to cover every aspect of the acquisition. With the addition of natural gas, the co-op truly became an energy cooperative. After much consideration, the Board of Directors decided to ask the membership to approve a name change that more accurately reflects the co-op’s service. On April 12, 2007, the membership voted to change the co-op’s name to Rock Energy Cooperative. The acquisition of the Illinois territory significantly changed the demographics of the co-op’s membership. “Our membership is no longer dominated by agriculture,” said Robert Crave, Direc-tor since 1983. “In the past, a majority of our membership had some connection to agriculture. The acquisition of the Illinois territory changed that.”

Initially, the co-op served its newest members from rented facilities on Charles Street in South Be-loit. But construction of a 55,000-square-foot district office and warehouse on Willowbrook Road in

South Beloit started in July 2008. The build-ing opened for business on April 13, 2009, and members took a behind-the-scenes look at the new facility during a two-day open house on Oct. 15-16, 2009. The co-op’s headquarters remained on Kennedy Road in Janesville, but members

Co-op employees and directors gathered in July 2008 for a ground-breaking ceremony for a new district office and warehouse on Willow-brook Road in South Beloit. After acquiring territory in Illinois from Alliant Energy, the co-op needed the new facility to better serve its newest members.

“There isn’t a better atmosphere

to work in than the co-op

atmosphere. They know how to

treat their employees and their

members.”

– Denny Schultz

“As new issues test the resolve of

our organization, remember that

the rural electrification movement

was born out of the last great

economic challenge our nation

faced.” – CEO Shane Larson

now could stop by either facility to pay their energy bills and conduct other co-op business. The new South Beloit facility was designed to significantly improve service to members. Throughout the years, the co-op has grown significantly and in 2011 serves more than 27,000 meters. The co-op’s early leaders were men, but women like Helen Carroll made sure women had a voice in their cooperative. When her husband, Bernard, was a director from 1971-1999, she not only took an active role in the co-op at the local level, but also nationally. In 1978, she was elected chairwoman of the National Rural Electric Task Force, which encouraged women to become more involved in their co-ops. “Most women know little about rural electric cooperatives,” she said during her term chairing the national committee. “As long as we can push that magic switch for light or operate our many appliances, it doesn’t seem to matter where that power comes from. Yet, women have as much reason to be concerned as men. That power makes homemaking a snap compared to the old rug-beating, carpet-sweeping days, and it furnishes light and heat for our places of business, our homes and our children’s schools. “It enables us to farm more profitably with less time spent because it runs auto-matic feeders, silo unloaders and milking machines, cools the milk quickly and pumps water. In short, electricity gives us more time to spend in our communities and with our families.” Even though her husband was the director, the whole family participated in co-op business. “The kids grew up taking and passing on outage calls when Bernard and I were in the barn,” she said. Jo Miller was the first woman elected to the co-op board in 1992. She said the men on the board welcomed her and treated her the same as any new board member. Marian Trescher, Director since 2005, started out in a secondary role, getting in-volved in co-op business when her husband, Howard, served on the board from 1962 to

2004. For many years, she managed the Rock County Rural Electrification Queen contest and is proud that some of the local women went on to win state and national competi-tion. Sandi Torkilson was named Miss Rural Electrification at the 1972 national competition in Las Vegas. Stanley Dybevik marvels over the technological changes that have occurred over the years. He said his father and the other founders would be sur-prised if they could see how what they had created has evolved. “I think one of the greatest things that’s happened in this country is rural electrifica-tion. It’s been just a wonderful thing to light up the skies at night in the rural areas,” he said. “I often wonder what my dad would think if he were alive today to see the changes that have occurred over the years.” Dybevik and others said they were tremendously proud that their families were involved in bringing electricity to the countryside. “They lived the REA,” said Robert Woodman, Ivan’s son and J. O.’s grandson. “They were very foresighted people. They could see the future and what it meant to have competition for private companies that didn’t want to provide power to rural areas. The REA went where people needed them. People should be very proud of the fact that the REA has done such a good job. It just made life so livable when you got electricity. We can’t understand what it is today to be without electricity.” Folks who have been longtime members or employees of the co-op frequently men-tion the positives of the cooperative way of doing business. “There isn’t a better atmosphere to work in than the co-op atmosphere,” said Denny Schultz, Director of Utility Operations and a co-op employee since 1973. “They know how to treat their employees and their members.” Thomas Check said when he and his wife, Loretta, became co-op members in 1968,




The South Beloit facility at 15229 Willowbrook Road opened for busi-ness on April 13, 2009, and members toured the new building during a two-day open house in October.

“When a storm came — whether

it was lightning, a winter storm, or

just wind — and that phone rang,

you were expected to come into

work. No questions asked.”

– Lynn Maier

they started attending annual meetings and other co-op events. The friendly atmosphere made them feel like they were part of a huge family. “We hardly ever missed a meeting or gathering,” he said. Check still comes to the office every month to pay his bill because he enjoys talking with co-op employees, who make him feel like he’s more than just a customer. And every year his capital credit allocation confirms that he is more than just a con-sumer of electricity — he also has a financial interest in the cooperative. Lynn Maier, North Operations Manager, said that one of the first things he learned when he started working at RCECA in 1977 was that service to the customer was always the priority. “I guess the first thing that they made very clear was that this wasn’t an ordi-nary job,” Maier said.

“When a storm came — whether it was lightning, a winter storm, or just wind

— and that phone rang, you were expected to come into work. No questions asked. It didn’t matter if it was your anniversary or if it was your birthday or your kid’s school play, it was pretty much set in stone that you dropped what you were doing and came into work because the membership — getting the

power back on — was all part of the job and that was the most important thing.” Energy cooperatives have a long history of working together toward a common goal, CEO Shane Larson said. In 1936, farm families banded together to electrify rural America, and that spirit of cooperation is stronger than ever today, he said. “For 75 years, Rock Energy Cooperative and its members have chosen to unite as a collective body to energize our homes and our businesses,” Larson said. “The decades have demonstrated that no matter what the challenge, the cooperative has remained focused on its mission to deliver safe and reliable energy at a competitive price. As new issues test the resolve of our organization,

remember that the rural electrification movement was born out of the last great economic challenge our nation faced. Electricity brought with it a better life and economic oppor-tunity for our region,

and the cooperative spirit of our membership has sustained us ever since.”

Thank you for youryears of support!

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE • CELEB

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A collaboration ofRock Energy Cooperative &

the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE • CELEBRATIN

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Documents

Rock Energy Cooperative Us... · 2016-12-28 · Rock County Electric Coop-erative Association (RCECA) with offices in Janesville, Wisconsin, is to provide its members and members