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This year's legislative session was marked by many challenges − and many successes. It was unlike any other as the House of Representatives held session in the Government Center, not the Statehouse. Legislators and lobbyists weren’t able to walk the Statehouse hallways together, and simple, important conversations were more difficult to arrange. Despite these challenges, Indiana’s electric cooperatives had several gains. Broadband Four bills were passed this session encouraging broadband projects and developments. Additionally, $250 million was incorporated in the budget for the broadband projects. We are looking forward to the potential funding opportunities for Indiana’s electric cooperatives’ deployment efforts as we seek to increase service to rural Hoosiers across the state. Battery Storage Sales Tax Exemption Cooperatives are always searching for the best ways to serve their consumers and keep energy safe, reliable and affordable. Battery storage is a cutting-edge technology that several cooperatives are exploring to save their consumers money and encourage economic development. The tax bill included language that exempts utility-scale battery storage systems from sales tax, thus saving cooperatives who engage in these projects millions of dollars. Pole Attachments One piece of legislation that could have had a much more detrimental impact on Indiana electric cooperatives and their consumers had to do with pole attachments. But, the electric cooperatives were able to negotiate a more favorable outcome. At the start of the legislative session, cable providers filed bills that would have mandated electric cooperatives to charge them the FCC rate when they attached cable to the co-ops’ poles. This would have put electric cooperatives like yours under FCC jurisdiction and lowered the for-profit cable providers’ financial responsibility. However, we were able to successfully negotiate a more favorable solution: removal of the FCC language and an increase in the attacher’s responsibility (7.41% to 12.5%). Language was also added that grandfathers in existing contracts and sets a fine for unauthorized attachments. The legislative session concluded with a "final dead bills day" April 22. The legislature recessed rather than adjourned so lawmakers can call themselves back into session later in 2021 to redistrict. Once in a Decade: Census Leads to Redistricting Congressional and legislative representation is one of the primary reasons why Americans are asked to participate in the census every 10 years. By law, districts must be roughly equal to population. Population growth is uneven, so, after each census, congressional districts are redrawn. How many people in a district? Indiana’s population in 2010 was almost 6.5 million according to that year’s census. The Census Bureau estimated in 2018, Indiana’s population had grown to nearly 6.7 million. The Indiana Business Research Center’s population projections expected Indiana to surpass 6.7 million residents by 2020. Data shows population declines in northwest and southwest Indiana and concentrated growth around some metro areas, such as Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. This will require adjustments to the congressional districts and state legislative districts so each Hoosier will be represented equally. Your electric cooperative is continuing to monitor redistricting efforts to ensure Indiana’s electric cooperatives are well represented and protected throughout the state. Source: https://www.incontext.indiana.edu/2019/nov-dec/article2.asp The Fight Over Public Health Emergencies The Indiana Legislature passed Senate Bill 5 obliging local health leaders to consult with other officials before enacting certain health measures. The bill created a structure to ensure health departments get OKs from county or city bodies before stricter measures are enacted. Gov. Holcomb vetoed the bill, but the legislature voted to override the veto. The final Senate vote count was 36 to 10 in favor of the override. The final House vote count was 59 to 30 in favor of the override. The bill went into effect immediately, so all local mandates are now null and void unless a local governing body takes action to re-enact them. Source: https://www.wthitv.com/content/news/Indiana-Legislature-overrides-Governor-Holcombs-veto-of-Senate-Bill-5-574391941.html

Teach your children about electrical safety at the bus stop The school bus stop is a place where friendships can be forged for life. But as school years start and kids again board school buses, Indiana Electric Cooperatives warns children and their parents about potential life-threatening hazards. Distracted drivers who don’t see or ignore the stopped school bus lights are something children all need to watch for as they stand on the curb or side of the road or cross the road to board. But there are electrical hazards, too, children should be taught to look for. “A lot can happen in the few minutes children are waiting for the bus,” said John Gasstrom, CEO at Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “It’s our duty as parents, grandparents or guardians to teach them of the dangers around them.” Keep these situations in mind when talking to your children about school bus and bus stop safety: Warn your child to not climb up trees and utility poles or guy wires that might put them dangerously close to overhead power lines or expose them to undetected damaged or compromised equipment. Warn your child to stay away from pad-mount transformers (the big, usually green boxes) or other electrical equipment in your neighborhood. Children might view these as perfect for climbing and playing on or lying on while waiting for the bus. Do some homework yourself: Before the school year starts, find out exactly where the stop will be. Check it out yourself for blind spots and dangers curious kids might get into while waiting in the morning. If the school bus is ever in an accident and ends up in a ditch, the bus may have hit a utility pole. In that case, power lines may have dropped and be touching the bus. Teach your child to assume any fallen lines are still energized and dangerous. Let your child know if he or she is OK after an accident, remain on the bus as the driver calls 911, and wait until a first responder or the driver says it’s OK to exit the bus. In an emergency, your child may need to exit the bus immediately. Show your child how to jump clear from the bus with both feet together, avoiding contact with the bus and the ground at the same time. Then, he or she should shuffle away with tiny steps, keeping both feet together and on the ground at all times. Practice this exiting your own car.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives work closely with both the state and federal government to ensure the energy they provide is safe, reliable and affordable. Indiana has two delegates to the U.S. Senate and nine delegates to the U.S. House of Representatives. Indiana’s senators are Mike Braun and Todd Young. Braun was elected in 2018. A native of Jasper, Indiana, where he owns Meyer Distributing, a truck specialty parts retailer and aftermarket wholesaler. Young was elected in 2016. He served for a decade in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. A fifth generation Hoosier, Young currently lives in Johnson County. Indiana’s nine Congressional representatives are Frank Mrvan, Jackie Walorski, Jim Banks, Jim Baird, Victoria Spartz, Greg Pence, André Carson, Larry Bucshon and Trey Hollingsworth. Mrvan (District 1) was elected in 2021. He is passionate about serving the labor interests and steel and manufacturing industries of Northwest Indiana. Walorski (District 2) was elected in 2013. A native Hoosier who was born and raised in South Bend, she is passionate about growing our economy, bringing good jobs to northern Indiana, strengthening our national security, ensuring veterans receive services and care, and keeping the American Dream alive for Hoosiers. Banks (District 3) was elected in 2017. He currently serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a supply corps officer. In 2014 and 2015, he took leaves of absence from the Indiana Senate to deploy to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Baird (District 4) was elected in 2019. He is a decorated Vietnam War veteran, whose distinguished service to our country was recognized with a Bronze Star with V device and two Purple Hearts. He is a lifelong resident of west central Indiana and previously ran a home health care agency and a farm with his family. Spartz (District 5) was elected in 2021. She was born overseas and immigrated to the United States 20 years ago after meeting her husband, a lifelong Hoosier, on a train in Europe. Spartz became a U.S. citizen and worked her way up from bank teller to a CPA, finance executive and successful business owner. Pence (District 6) was elected in 2019. Pence is a Marine officer and small businessman from Columbus, Indiana, the only place he has ever called home. He is passionate about job creation, economic growth and serving with leadership. Carson (District 7) was elected in 2008. An Indianapolis native, Carson grew up on the city’s east side. Before taking office, he served on the Indianapolis City-County Council, worked full time in law enforcement, and worked in intelligence and counterterrorism for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Bucshon (District 8) was elected in 2011. He was born and raised in a small central Illinois town. Bucshon served with the U.S. Navy Reserve for almost a decade and, before joining Congress, was a practicing physician and surgeon specializing in cardiothoracic surgery. Hollingsworth (District 9) was elected in 2017. He is a small business owner, who even during the depths of the recession as other U.S. businesses moved overseas, found opportunities for companies to expand, produce and hire locally. Later, Hollingsworth partnered with businessmen and chemists to start an aluminum remanufacturing operation in Indiana. New Legislator Spotlight Two new federal legislators were elected for the first time in 2021: Rep. Frank Mrvan (District 1) and Rep. Victoria Spartz (District 5). Mrvan is a member of the Democratic Party and Spartz is a member of the Republican Party. Prior to Congress, Mrvan served as the North Township trustee for 15 years and Spartz served as an Indiana state senator from 2017-2020. Mrvan currently serves as a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Spartz currently serves as a member on the House Committee on Education and Labor and the House Committee on the Judiciary. In their first few months in office, both new delegates have been quite busy. Spartz has co-sponsored 12 bills and Mrvan has co-sponsored 50 bills. A Historical Look at Indiana’s Federal Delegation Indiana’s first federal delegation was elected in 1815. Rep. William Hendricks was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1815 and served until 1821. Sen. James Noble and Sen. Waller Taylor were elected to U.S. Senate in 1816. Noble served until 1831 and Taylor served until 1825. Since the first Hoosier representation in Washington, D.C., Indiana has elected candidates from the Democratic, Republican, Democratic-Republican, Jacksonian, Anti-Jacksonian, Whig, Opposition, Independent, Anti-Monopoly, and Greenbacker parties. Perhaps the most well-known historical federal officials from Indiana are William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison. William was elected governor of the Indiana Territory in 1801, where he served 12 years. He was elected President of the United States in 1841 and served just 32 days as the ninth president before passing away. Thirty years later, in 1876, William’s grandson, Benjamin, unsuccessfully ran for governor of Indiana. But the Indiana General Assembly elected Benjamin to a six-year term in the U.S. Senate, where he served from 1881 to 1887. In 1888, he was elected the 23rd U.S. president. SOURCES: https://www.braun.senate.gov/about-mike; https://www.young.senate.gov/about-todd; https://mrvan.house.gov/about; https://walorski.house.gov/about/;https://banks.house.gov/biography/; https://baird.house.gov/about/; https://www.spartzforcongress.com/about/; https://pence.house.gov/about; https://carson.house.gov/about/biography; https://bucshon.house.gov/biography/full-biography.htm; https://hollingsworth.house.gov/biography/ https://mrvan.house.gov/about; https://www.congress.gov/member/frank-mrvan/M001214?q={%22search%22:[%22frank+mrvan%22]}&s=4&r=1&searchResultViewType=expanded; https://www.congress.gov/member/victoria-spartz/S000929?q={%22search%22:[%22frank%20mrvan%22],%22within%22:[%22frank%20mrvan%22]}&searchResultViewType=expanded; https://www.spartzforcongress.com/ https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_congressional_delegations_from_Indiana; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Harrison#:~:text=Benjamin%20Harrison%20(August%2020%2C%201833,States%20from%201889%20to%201893; https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/william-henry-harrison/

Manager of Operations and Engineering Clark County REMC Climbing his way to the top Dave Barton literally started at the bottom and climbed his way up to a long, successful career at Clark County REMC. At age 60, he looks back from about as high a perch as he could go. From that vantage point, he realizes there is no top or bottom when it comes to the Sellersburg-based REMC’s success. “What I feel most proud of is being part of building a great team,” he said. “Clark County REMC succeeds or fails as a group. Everybody’s job is important.” Barton started as groundman on the tree crew. “Back then, we had a crew that was trimming trees and taking trees down, and there was a foreman, a tree trimmer, and then I was the groundman. So, I was dragging brush, chipping brush,” he recalled. When he hired on at the REMC, the potential of becoming a journeyman/lineman was discussed, as well as Barton’s high school interest and training in electronics. Barton’s dad had been a telephone lineman, so that had appeal. “I remember seeing him as a phone company guy; he had climbing hooks and a belt. I watched him climb a pole when I was young.” He could remember thinking, “I want to do that someday.” In the fall of 1985, Barton started the four-year lineman apprenticeship training and graduated in 1989. He also was still interested in technology and electronics. He took advantage of additional academic and training opportunities and followed the advice of a supervisor by eventually earning an associate degree in electrical engineering technology. Now, as manager of operations and engineering, he oversees 27 individuals performing all the activities from line construction and engineering to his old stomping ground — the right-of-way. On three occasions, he has stepped in to serve as general manager during the GM’s extended leaves. “I appreciate how much our leadership believed in me and gave me new opportunities along the way.” Barton said from day one at the REMC, almost 40 years ago, the environment has been special. “It’s just been a family atmosphere the whole time. Even though there’s been ups and downs along the way, you always had each other’s back, and you always felt as if you mattered. There’s just something really special about being a part of cooperative where we’re doing things for the our members, trying to find a way of doing the right thing for them — whether it’s in engineering design or the lineman getting up in the middle of the night to repair a power outage,” Barton noted. “We have succeeded because we figured out a way to get everybody to work to their best potential rather than any one supervisor coming up with some plan. The plan,” he emphasized, “is within the people.” CAREER SUMMARY Dave Barton climbed his way up from the guy down in the brush, clearing rights-of-way for power lines to building and repairing power lines. Now, he oversees a team of 27 individuals who build and maintain the lines that keep the power on for 22,000 consumers. TIMELINE 1984 — Hired at Clark County REMC as groundman on the tree-trimming crew. Dragged trimmed limbs away, ran the chipper for right-of-way maintenance. 1985 — Promoted to apprentice lineman. Began the four-year apprenticeship program at Hoosier Energy. 1989 — Graduated apprenticeship program as journeyman/lineman. 1995 — Added meter technician to his duties after completing a two-year training course. 2000 — Promoted to operations supervisor. Oversaw staking engineers and design and construction planning. 2007 — Promoted to manager of operations and engineering. Supervises a team of 27 that includes all outside lineworkers, line construction, engineering and right-of-way maintenance.

Make sure you know about these three types of outlets Indiana Electric Cooperatives reminds consumers about the three types of electrical receptacles designed with safety in mind. The three types of receptacles are tamper-resistant receptacles, ground-fault circuit interrupters and arc-fault circuit interrupters. Receptacles pose dangers to children and adults alike. A curious child may insert a paper clip, coin or key into an outlet’s openings. Accidents or carelessness with plugged-in appliances around water or simply faulty receptacles and wiring can cause electrical shocks and fires leading to disaster and tragedy. “Electrical safety is always improving,” said John Gasstrom, CEO at Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “There are many consumer safety devices that are now either code and are standard in any newer home, or available and can be installed to make your home safer.” Here are three types of electrical receptacles installed today. TRR — Tamper-resistant receptacles have an interior spring-loaded cover that closes off the slots of the receptacle until a plug is inserted. They open only when two prongs of a plug are inserted simultaneously. GFCI — Ground-fault circuit interrupters have been around for many years and are required in receptacles in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms — wherever there may be water and/or dampness present. GFCIs have “reset” and “test” buttons associated with them. GFCIs are a circuit breaker that stops the flow off electricity the instant it detects an imbalance in the current going to and returning from equipment along the circuit. AFCI — Arc-fault circuit interrupters prevent an electrical fire in your home due to “arcing.” An arc fault is an unintended arc created by current flowing through an unplanned path. Arcing creates high-intensity heating, resulting in burning particles that can ignite nearby material like wood or insulation. If a home doesn’t have these three life-saving types of receptacles, contact a qualified electrician about installing them where needed.

10 ways to save energy in the laundry room Your clothes washer and dryer account for a significant portion of energy consumption from major appliances, and let’s face it––laundry is no one’s favorite chore. Make the most of your laundry energy use! There are several easy ways you can save energy (and money) in the laundry room. The Department of Energy recommends the following tips for saving on suds: Wash with cold water. Switching from warm water to cold water can cut one load’s energy use by more than half, and by using a cold-water detergent, you can still achieve that brilliant clean you’d normally get from washing in warm water. Wash full loads when possible. Your washing machine will use the same amount of energy no matter the size of the clothes load, so fill it up if you can. Use the high-speed or extended spin cycle in the washer. This setting will remove more moisture before drying, reducing your drying time and the extra wear on clothing. Dry heavier cottons separately. Loads will dry faster and more evenly if you separate heavier cottons like linens and towels from your lightweight clothing. Make use of the “cool down” cycle. If your dryer has this cycle option, you can save energy because the clothes will finish drying with the remaining heat in the dryer. Use lower heat settings to dry clothing. Regardless of drying time, you’ll still use less energy. Use dryer balls. Dryer balls, usually wool or rubber, will help keep clothes separated for faster drying, and they can help reduce static, so you can eliminate dryer sheets. Switch loads while the dryer is warm. This allows you to take advantage of the remaining heat from the previous cycle. Clean the lint filter after each drying cycle. If you use dryer sheets, remember to scrub the filter once a month with a toothbrush to remove excess buildup. Purchase ENERGY STAR®-rated washers and dryers. When it’s time to purchase a new washer or dryer, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. New washers and dryers that receive the ENERGY STAR® rating use about 20% less energy than conventional models.

Spring is just around the corner, and there’s never been a better time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Perhaps you’re making plans for a new garden or a lawn makeover. However you’re planning to revamp your backyard oasis, remember to keep safety in mind for all projects––especially those that require digging near underground utility lines. Most of us never think about the electric, gas, water and other utility lines buried below the ground, but hitting one of these lines while digging is not the reminder you’ll want––trust us! Southeastern Indiana REMC reminds all members who are planning a digging project to call 811 at least three business days before you start. Or you can submit a request online by visiting www.call811.com/811-In-Your-State. Here’s how the process works: After you call 811 or submit your request online, all affected utilities will be notified of your intent to dig. It may take the utilities a few days to get to your request, so please be patient. The affected utilities will send someone out to mark the buried lines with paint or flags. Before you break ground, confirm that all the utilities have responded to your request. If you placed your request by phone, use the process explained by your 811 call center representative. If you submitted your request online, refer to your 811 center ticket to confirm everything. By taking this important step before you break ground on your project, you can help protect not only yourself but our community. Disrupting an underground utility line can interrupt service, cause injuries and cost money to repair, so remember to call 811 first and know what’s below.

Make sure electrical safety is on your boat’s checklist Electric safety is an important part of boating safety often overlooked. Indiana Electric Cooperatives reminds boaters water and electricity are a deadly combination, and to make sure electrical safety is included in your boat’s checklist. “It’s critical you stay away from electric power lines and other electricity sources when you go boating,” said John Gasstrom, CEO at Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “After all, besides being a popular ingredient for summertime fun, water is a good conductor of electricity. Even when you’re on a boat, electricity still tries to reach the ground below to the bottom of the body of water.” Boaters should constantly be aware of the location of power lines. That means paying close attention when raising or lowering the boat’s mast or spar and ensuring drying sails and sheet lines don’t blow into power lines. “When docking your boat, enlist the help of another person to help guide you at least 10 feet away from all power lines,” Gasstrom added. Among other maritime must-dos: While on the water, watch for signs that indicate where underwater utility lines are located. Don’t anchor your boat near them. When fishing, check for overhead power lines before casting your line. If your boat accidentally comes in contact with a power line, whatever you do, don’t jump in the water. Stay on board and don’t touch anything made of metal. Don’t leave the boat until it has moved away from the power line. If you notice a tingling sensation while swimming, the water could be electrified. Get out quickly, avoiding metal objects like ladders. Equipment leakage circuit interrupters protect swimmers nearby from potential electrical leakage into the water around your boat. Consider installing them on your boat. Periodically have a professional marine electrician inspect your boat’s electrical system. It should meet local and state safety codes and standards. Make sure the boat’s AC outlets are three-prong. All electrical connections should be in a panel box to avoid contact. Install ground fault circuit interrupters on your boat and dock. When using electricity near water, use portable GFCIs labeled “UL-Marine Listed.” Test all GFCIs once a month.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives are committed to the communities they serve and are involved with philanthropic activities throughout Indiana and beyond. Your cooperative serves your community and spearheads philanthropic projects to help create a better world. For instance, during Community Day, Indiana’s electric cooperatives work collectively to make a positive impact on our state. Each year on the second Friday of October, each of Indiana’s electric cooperatives determines a need within its service area. Then, employees work as a team to complete the project. The day provides an opportunity to focus on the good work electric cooperatives do in their communities and it also gives your cooperative a chance to provide extra value to the community it serves. Working side-by-side, Indiana’s electric cooperatives demonstrate one of the core cooperative principles: concern for community. More than 40 unique service projects are completed in a single day every year. Cooperatives care about their communities. That’s why they take time out of their week to serve them. Stay up to date on cooperative initiatives by being a grassroots advocate. Encourage your friends and family to sign up, too. Visit https://action.indianaec.org/ today! Do you know of a service project that you would like your cooperative to get involved in? Contact your cooperative today! Supporting the Ronald McDonald House for 25 years Concern for community is a core principle of Indiana’s electric cooperatives. Electric cooperative employees and directors work in and care for the communities they serve. One of their charitable initiatives is the Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House of Indiana has been providing a supportive home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill or injured children since 1982. Indiana’s electric cooperatives have been proud supporters since 1995. Each year at the annual meeting of the cooperatives’ statewide service association, co-ops throughout the state donate much-needed supplies for the house. Throughout the last 25 years, Indiana’s electric cooperatives have donated over $200,000 to support the Ronald McDonald House’s mission. The needs of the house may change, but our focus will always be to ensure the Indiana Ronald McDonald House can assist Hoosier families for many years to come. Living the Principles Outside Our Borders Paying it forward through Project Indiana Indiana’s electric cooperatives are such strong supporters of the seven cooperative principles they’re taking their passion for these pillars of the cooperative movement and are sharing them in other parts of the world. Through Project Indiana, Hoosiers have brought hope, in the form of electricity, to rural Guatemalan villages. Using donated materials, volunteers bring electricity to these impoverished areas for the first time. The project was born in the summer of 2012 under the moniker Hoosiers Power the World. One of the largest international endeavors undertaken by electric cooperatives across the U.S., the first trip included 28 linemen, two cooperative executives and staff members from Indiana Electric Cooperatives, the service association of the state’s electric cooperatives. Over a four-week period, the volunteers, working in conjunction with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s International Program, toiled with villagers to erect poles at the precipice of steep drop-offs, running cable through jungle gorges. By 2015, the vision grew into Project Indiana and sustainable change — moving beyond electrifying villages to making them better places to live, enhancing the community and encouraging the development of cooperatives — just as happened 85 years ago when the electric cooperatives first brought electricity to rural Indiana. Through Project Indiana, electric cooperatives are paying it forward, empowering global communities one village at a time. And, we know it all begins with electricity — access to better health care, fresh drinking water, expanded educational opportunities, economic development and increased public safety. Project Indiana volunteers plan to return to the communities to provide them with other resources and services they so desperately need, and visit other parts of the country to help electrify those communities. It’s the cooperative way.

Internet is a necessity in today’s world. It is needed to do almost everything: attend school, complete homework, run a business, access doctors and medical care, or even stream a movie with your family. Unfortunately for many rural Americans, internet access is limited at best. For many, it simply isn’t even an option because there are no companies willing to provide service. But things are beginning to change. Your electric cooperative recognized this problem and knew it had to help be a part of the solution. Electric cooperatives are leading the way in serving the rural and economically disadvantaged areas in Indiana, those that have the greatest need for broadband. Electric cooperatives have made real investments into solving the rural broadband problem. Recent state grants are helping electric cooperatives leverage significant amounts of private funding to expand broadband access. In 2015, only two of Indiana’s 38 electric cooperatives had active broadband projects. By 2020, that number had more than quintupled to 12. Now, only one year later, there are 19 cooperatives with active broadband projects. Similarly, in 2020, cooperatives had invested $134.5 million into deploying broadband to rural Indiana. One year later, that number more than doubled to $273 million. In 2020, cooperatives served 17,921 addresses with broadband service and deployed 4,237 miles of fiber to provide that service. One year later, those numbers also doubled. Currently, 31,037 addresses are served, and 8,425 miles of fiber are deployed. Your local cooperative saw a problem and acted to provide you with the solution. Now, it is working hard every day to make sure you have access to high quality, high speed internet, no matter where you live. Four Facts About Broadband in Rural America High-speed internet has become a major focus across rural Indiana. From electric cooperatives and allied rural organizations to the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor and legislators who serve rural areas, finding the financial wherewithal to fund expensive fiber-optic networks into sparsely-populated areas is no longer a quixotic quest. It’s happening. “Hoosiers need affordable, quality internet regardless of where they live, work or go to school,” Gov. Eric J. Holcomb told Indiana Connection. “Access to broadband brings countless opportunities. And that’s why I’m excited to see key infrastructure projects positively impact economic development, health, agriculture and quality of life.” Closing the digital divide allows those in under-served or unserved areas the same opportunities that exist in connected communities: 1. Millions of Americans lack broadband. About 34 million Americans don’t have high-speed internet service. Many of these people live in rural, low density areas. 2. Private carriers fear rural costs. There is a huge gap between the benefits to consumers and what a private service provider will earn by deploying broadband in areas with low population density. 3. Broadband backbone eases cooperative entry. A modern electric cooperative requires up-to-the-minute smart communications technology, and that requires a broadband backbone. Such a system would allow the cooperative to communicate with its substations, better oversee power lines to restore or even prevent outages in a timely fashion, and provide smart meters and other advances consumers demand. A broadband backbone also affords cooperatives the opportunity to provide retail high-speed internet, when possible, as it passes fiber-optic cable by members’ homes and businesses. Cooperatives that build a broadband backbone for their electric power system can more economically connect rural areas. A good partner can help. Many hands lighten the load, and that rings true for rural broadband. While electric cooperatives may have infrastructure in place and brand recognition among consumers in rural areas they serve, the cost to deliver high-speed internet can give many pause. Government loans and loan guarantees and grants for rural broadband can help close the digital divide. Partnerships between cooperatives and private carriers are an economical way to deliver internet service to members. What’s Your Broadband Story? Electric cooperatives are finding ways to help close the rural digital divide, providing all Hoosiers the same opportunities. Affordable and reliable quality internet means life-altering improvements for rural Hoosiers in: Modern health care including prompt access to specialists, and expanded monitoring and treatment options. Modern education options so rural students can use technology previously available only to their urban peers. Adult learners will have access to distance education options. Economic development opportunities mean small businesses in rural areas can enter the global marketplace. And, young families seeking a rural lifestyle can enjoy that small town sense of community with the modern conveniences of an urban area. Tell us how having access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet could improve your family’s quality of life, or how new service options have changed the way you live. Your stories will continue to inspire our state’s leaders to do all they can to bring broadband to all of Indiana. Visit action.indianaec.org/share-your-story/

President and Chief Executive Officer Whitewater Valley REMC Building Trust The day Mary Jo Thomas took the open accounting position at Whitewater Valley REMC in 1996, she began working her way up the career ladder. In 2013, she became president and CEO of the cooperative that provides electricity to consumers in several counties along the Indiana/Ohio state line around Richmond. After providing a reference for the person who originally applied for the accounting job, she learned he turned it down because it included a typical cooperative “wearing-of-many-hats” role,” which included answering the telephone and backing up the utility’s front counter during the lunch hour. So, Thomas applied. “I didn’t have any problem with that,” she said. “And that’s really been my work ethic: to help out wherever I can. That’s how you build trust in the workplace – by working shoulder to shoulder. I did not set out to be CEO. If you think you’re better than anybody else and shouldn’t have to do something, that’s not a good way to build teamwork.” When she became CEO, she was the only female chief executive of a cooperative in Indiana and only the second in the 85-plus year history of Indiana’s REMCs. In more recent years, two other women have become CEOs at Indiana electric cooperatives and a third has become the CEO at a power generation and transmission cooperative. As Thomas was promoted, she began working closely with a new CEO who joined the cooperative in the early 2000s. In her, he saw his successor; he began mentoring her. Thomas accompanied him to meetings around the state and was exposed to all elements of the industry outside her local cooperative. When it came time for his retirement, he and the Whitewater Valley board of directors thought the succession was in place to go smoothly. Only, Thomas wasn’t sure. “I teetered back and forth,” she recalled. “I wasn’t sure I could do it.” But the retiring CEO assured her, “You’re doing it now.” Thomas stepped into the role she realized she’d been doing. What made the decision easier, she noted, was she knew the team she’d have behind her. “The staff I have, and that I knew I had going in, make my job easy,” she said. “We’re a team. It’s a group effort for sure. “You have in the back of your mind that you have to know it all. But when you have good people around you, you don’t have to know it all. I don’t have to have the answer to every question. I might need to know how to find the answer, but I know who to ask to get all the information to make a decision.” Career Summary: Mary Jo Thomas didn’t set out to be CEO, but others saw her leadership skills in how she worked as a team player as she rose to the top. Now she is in her eighth year as CEO of an Indiana electric cooperative. Timeline August 1996 – Hired at Whitewater Valley REMC as Accountant/Computer Specialist: The only accountant on staff; prepared all financials and helped set up the mainframe computer and PCs in the office. January 2001 – Promoted to Director of Customer Service: Oversaw the customer service representatives and managed all accounting and financials. Managed the IT department. Also installed, maintained and supported the co-op's computer systems, storage, network and security appliances. July 2005 – Promoted to Director of Administrative Services and Corporate Development: New position with restructuring; handled all accounting duties along with additional HR duties, corporate development, and working with operations. April 2012 – Promoted to Chief Operating Officer: Focused on gaining an in-depth knowledge of the co-op's operations. March 2013 – Named President and CEO of Whitewater Valley REMC: Oversees the cooperative with 25 full-time employees and serves approximately 9,800 consumers in Randolph, Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin and Dearborn counties, and maintains over 1,800 miles of line.