The Power of Connections

other states—including neighboring Illinois— influenced CREC’s approach to serving and satisfying its members. “We began to look at additional ways we could offer value to our

members and give them more reasons to choose Cuivre River [Electric] if given that option,” says former manager of administrative services Kevin Hurd. This focus on enhancing member value impacted everything from the specific services offered to the formatting of monthly bills so members could better understand the costs involved in delivering power to their homes. CREC also expanded its efforts to highlight the co-op’s mission and values for current members, potential members, and the public. This included radio and TV advertising in St. Louis media outlets that aired public service announcements about electrical safety. Advertising also helped generate awareness about the important role and positive impact of Cuivre River Electric and other cooperatives. These activities accelerated after CREC joined Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives in 2002. A nationwide alliance of member-owned electric cooperatives, Touchstone Energy® is a unified national platform that connects hundreds of co-ops and reinforces their overall value to members and communities. “Touchstone provides resources and a common platform that helps individual co-ops communicate the value we bring to our communities and the world,” explains former general manager/CEO Dan L. Brown, who joined the Touchstone Energy® Board in 2008 and served as president of the organization from 2010 to 2014. Territorial Agreements Lay a Foundation for Continued Growth In 2002, territorial agreements with Union Electric/Ameren Missouri once again paved the way for CREC to continue improving operational efficiencies and its trajectory of growth. Through these agreements, approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), each utility provider was granted exclusive rights to serve specific geographic areas, allowing both companies to plan for future growth and to reduce the costly, inefficient duplication of facilities. The agreements overrode the existing state law that had prohibited cooperatives from serving cities with populations above 1,500 (commonly referred to as “the 1,500 rule”). In the early 1990s, the general assembly passed legislation allowing utilities and cooperatives the ability to seek PSC approval if they wished to negotiate territorial boundaries that overrode the 1,500 rule.

The four Touchstone Energy ® values—Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, and Community—also serve as guideposts for CREC.

Former CREC general manager/CEO Dan L. Brown. Photo from Lyle Whitworth Photography

The PSC first approved some territorial boundaries south of I-70 in St. Charles County in 1993. In 2002, boundaries in Lincoln and Warren Counties were also

THE POWER OF CONNECTIONS 15