The lessons that still guide me

August 2025

Oklahoma's electric cooperatives value continued education and growth in the electric industry both for them personally and for young future leaders

My parents didn’t just value education — they lived it. Mom taught at our local community college; Dad, wearing his trusty overalls, was a para professional at the local junior high by day and a school bus driver after the final bell. They earned little, yet they gave much.

When Dad passed away, the funeral home filled with the kids who once bounced along his route. Some remembered the snacks he had ready for them when lunch money ran out. Others cherished the small Christmas gifts he gave because he knew no presents were waiting at their home. More than one said he had been their only friend.

My parents taught me that true change and opportunity come to those willing to learn — and through those willing to teach. The belief that helping others learn is the greatest kind of service guides me as I represent the values of Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives.

At your electric cooperative, reliable service will always be our first priority. From advanced linework safety to customer‑care coaching, ongoing training keeps our team sharp, motivated and safe. Every lesson mastered in a classroom or in the field directly benefits the members we serve.

Our directors shoulder big decisions on your behalf. They stay up to date on a fast-changing energy landscape through courses that strengthen their understanding of leadership, strategy and policy, ensuring your co-op is guided by informed, future-focused voices.

Some of the most inspiring learning moments happen outside the co-op walls. Programs like Youth Tour and Energy Camp show Oklahoma students the cooperative model, the power of civic engagement and the belief that service is a calling, not just a career. Many alumni credit these experiences for launching paths in public service, business and education — the very cycle of opportunity my parents believed in.

Dad never chased accolades, yet his quiet acts of generosity still echo down those country roads. I hold that reminder close: we are measured not by what we have, but by the lives we touch. Every safety workshop, director seminar and student trip your cooperative sponsors is a small gift — an invitation to dream bigger and do better.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you and to learn alongside you. Together, we’re building something brighter, just like my parents did — one lesson, one person, one community at a time.