The Power of Connections

PREFACE C uivre River Electric Cooperative’s (CREC) story, as first told in the 1998 book The Power of the People: Building Today for a Better Tomorrow , chronicled the cooperative’s history from its beginning in 1941 through fifty seven years of its existence. During those early times, CREC’s role as the local energy provider was not just about distributing electricity. Built by the residents of the area, CREC members were also cooperative owners. They were unwavering in their focus on improving the quality of life, from small rural towns to eventually the larger suburban areas the cooperative served. Over the years, CREC experienced tremendous growth as people were drawn to that quality of life, which resulted in it becoming the largest electric cooperative in the state of Missouri. Along with the cooperative’s development from 1998 to 2021 came local and global challenges that shaped its journey. But throughout the last twenty-three years, CREC’s mission has remained the same—to be a progressive leader in the energy industry, empowering employees to serve members using innovative energy solutions while safely providing reliable service at the lowest possible cost. When the new millennium arrived, and in the two decades that followed, the cooperative experienced a variety of milestones. Territorial agreements, expansion of commercial and industrial membership, and building both a new branch office and new headquarters were actions designed to support a viable future for CREC. Faced with new challenges such as the great recession and a global health crisis, the cooperative remained resilient and ultimately strengthened its drive to keep moving forward. Today, the cooperative spirit boldly lives on through CREC’s commitment to its members according to seven cooperative principles and four core values: accountability, community, innovation, and integrity. These beliefs are shared among the Touchstone Energy ® network of over 750 member-owned cooperatives across the United States, including CREC. The next chapters of the cooperative’s story, as expressed by directors, employees, retirees, and others, reveal a history rooted in those core values. As readers page through this book, it will become clear that CREC’s success, today and tomorrow, will forever hinge on the promise of being the member-driven energy partner to the communities the cooperative serves.

Faced with new challenges such as the great recession and a global health crisis, the cooperative remained resilient and ultimately strengthened its drive to keep moving forward.