Member Spotlight

With 32 years of experience in the industry, Chuck Bowlin is no stranger to technological innovation. Since assuming the role of President and CEO of Greeneville Energy Authority in 2020, Chuck has put his experience with innovation to work for his customers. “Offering broadband has been the biggest thing we’ve tackled since I started in my current role and we should be able to begin offering broadband services by late summer. We wanted to position ourselves to be able to apply

Josh Compton knows the wide-reaching impact technology is having on the Valley. Leading Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC) as general manager and executive VP, Josh is focused on keeping innovation at the forefront to improve the lives of his cooperative’s members. “We’re currently focusing on demand side management opportunities, but in the next five years, we’re looking ahead to member and community-supported battery programs and EV charging infrastructure buildouts. AEC’s goal is to always support our members and the communities we serve,

With 33 years of experience in the industry, Jeff Hurd’s transition to general manager of Hopkinsville Electric System in 2017 was an opportunity to ensure his system was prepared for the future. “Automated Metering Infrastructure was at the top of our list of innovative advancements. We went from reading meters once a month to being able to have our customers’ information right at our fingertips. This has helped us educate them about their usage habits and help predict future patterns. Digitizing

Dewayne McDonald knows how innovative partnerships and technology can prepare us for the future. Since 2019, Dewayne has led Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation as president and CEO with an emphasis on technological diversity and strategic partnerships. We asked him to share his experience with deploying past projects with Seven States: “One thing I especially appreciate about our partnership with Seven States is the fact that it would be so difficult for a utility to do everything related to a new

One of the first actions Dr. Angela Verdell took when she became the general manager of Columbus Light & Water in 2021 was to improve internal technology to better serve her customers. “It was a big deal for us to transition from several manual and paper formats to digital, but it has made our overall facilitation so much easier. And now that we’ve started upgrading the fiber ring for operations, that’s going to give us better system reliability, redundancy, and customer

Keith Hayward has seen more than his fair share of technology development in the Valley. Serving as General Manager and CEO of North East Mississippi Electric Power Association since 2013, Keith has worked tirelessly to keep his LPC at the forefront of innovation. We asked him to share his experience with innovative technology deployments as it relates to his LPC footprint: “As technology develops in our industry, co-ops in rural areas need technology even more because we’re so spread out and

Eighty years ago, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative improved the lives of residents in the Sequatchie Valley by bringing electricity to their communities. Today, SVEC continues to meet the essential service needs of the communities it serves and exceed expectations with the introduction of SVEConnect, the co-op’s high-speed triple play Internet, television and phone service. “In real estate, it’s all about location,” said Mike Partin, President and CEO of SVEC, “but in our business it’s all about relationships. Our customers know they

Each quarter, Seven States Power shines a spotlight on a member who has been on the cutting edge of innovation in the power industry. In light of COVID-19, we would like to spotlight all our members during this unprecedented and difficult time of operating utility systems during a health pandemic. Thank you to all our members for putting the health and safety of their communities first. Thank you to all our members for their ability to ensure reliable power is delivered

Sevier Co., Tenn., ES isn’t trying to be the go-to energy advisor for its area’s sprawling Dollywood complex. That’s because the utility has already earned that privilege. “It’s all about relationships,” said Sevier Co. ES Superintendent Allen Robbins, one of the newest members of the Seven States Power Corp. Board of Directors. “Dollywood used to pay a power bill,” Robbins said. “Now we have a relationship.” Sevier County Electric System and Seven States Power installed EV charger at Dollywood in Sevierville,

Bill Carroll’s done more than see the future- he’s driving it. The longtime chief executive at Greeneville, Tenn., L&P loves fast, loud cars, but he’s now embraced electric vehicles. The former TVPPA chairman is a true believer, having been won over by a Nissan LEAF. “I didn’t want to like the car,” Carroll said. “I thought (electric vehicles’) were slow, useless and unreliable- but they are none of those.” Carroll said he decided a year ago that EVs were coming “whether