The Power Behind Your Power

April 18 is National Lineworker Appreciation Day, so it’s appropriate that we take a moment to recognize the people who work in sometimes brutal weather conditions to ensure that we all have safe and reliable power. Lineworkers work with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power poles 24 hours a day, every day, to maintain the energy infrastructure and keep electricity flowing.

Bandera Electric Cooperative lineworkers labor in dangerous, highly visible settings, but they’re only one piece of the cooperative puzzle. There are many more folks behind the scenes who also work tirelessly to help keep the lights on. They do so with little public recognition or acknowledgment.


The Power Behind Your Power
Another “powerful” figure is Bill Hetherington, your co-op’s CEO. Similar to the head coach of a team, he ensures that all the players (employees) know their roles and perform them at a highly proficient level, and he recruits and retains talent—an especially challenging task in today’s competitive hiring environment. He also implements measures decided upon by the board of directors and members to guide the co-op’s direction.


Promoting a Culture of Safety
Operations and engineering personnel ensure that the co-op’s overall system is well maintained. This team plans for future needs and continually monitors existing equipment.
An equally important area of focus is safety. Working with electricity is an inherently dangerous task, and helping foster a culture of safety for all co-op workers is a major priority.
 
Calling for Energy Efficiency
Your co-op’s member services representatives answer calls and questions about billing and energy use. They work with members to identify high-use periods and discuss ways to save on monthly bills.
The member services department ensures that members’ needs are addressed appropriately and satisfactorily. They are also responsible for presenting the co-op’s annual meeting and maintaining communication with members, including through Texas Co-op Power.


Delivering Timely Savings
The accounting and finance department is responsible for the fiscal
well-being of your co-op. While we’re a member-owned cooperative and operate differently from investor-owned utilities, we’re still a business. As such, the accounting department ensures that revenue collected from members’ monthly bills exceeds our expenses so that we can apply the latest technology and help lower your energy costs whenever possible.


It’s All About People
The human resources department is responsible for all personnel associated with our co-op. They handle recruiting, hiring, retiring, benefits and orientations. Continual learning and training for employees is crucial to maintaining a skilled workforce that helps keep the co-op operating efficiently.


Staying in Sync
The co-op’s various departments work closely together to serve you because you, the member, are at the heart of everything we do. A cooperative’s Concern for Community is one principle that sets us apart from other businesses, and we stand as a driving force in our community.
The electricity we provide powers our communities. It takes every person in the co-op to deliver on this promise.