NOVEMBER 2023
the
LIGHT POST Published for members of Kiamichi Electric Cooperative
Meet Board Director Larry Culwell By Michelle Warmuth
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KEC Annual Meeting held Oct. 7
The daily life of a member of the board of directors can vary. Some have full-time executive jobs and some are retired. Holding a board seat can be an intense experience with much responsibility. It is more than just monthly meetings; it requires vigilance, responsiveness, and a commitment to representing members’ interests. In March 1998, Larry Culwell of Bokoshe, Oklahoma, began serving on the Kiamichi Electric Cooperative (KEC) board of directors for District 7. Culwell has been a memberowner of KEC since 1977. A 1970 graduate of Bokoshe High School, Larry graduated from Eastern Oklahoma State College in 1972 and continued his education at Southeastern Oklahoma State College, where he obtained his degree in math and physics. He began teaching at Keota in 1974 before getting his master’s degree in counseling from Northeastern
Oklahoma State University. His love of teaching and working with students eventually led him to obtain his principal and superintendent certifications. He served at Howe Public School as superintendent for four years, Red Oak Public School as principal for six years and as superintendent for five years, and at Wister Public School as superintendent for three years. Larry and his wife, Lou, have been married for 52 years. Together they have raised two children, a son and a daughter, and have five grandchildren. In his spare time, which is limited, Larry and Lou enjoy traveling all over the country by motorcycle, even telling stories of times they were stranded on the side of the road. Their love for people is evident. Their home is filled with memorabilia of past trips, family get-togethers, and team roping days for Culwell.
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Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month
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Renewables Report
KEC Annual Meeting brings together families, friends 944 SW Highway 2 PO Box 340 Wilburton, Oklahoma 74578 (918) 465-2338 | (800) 888-2731
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ron Pelanconi, President DISTRICT 3
Russell Shaw, Vice President DISTRICT 1
Amy Miller, Treasurer DISTRICT 2
David Ray DISTRICT 4
Don Parr
DISTRICT 5
Mark Ichord DISTRICT 6
Larry Culwell DISTRICT 7
KEC SENIOR STAFF Brett Orme
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT — CEO
Linda Baldwin
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Crystal Butler
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Dennis Dolan
MANAGER OF OPERATIONS
Andy Eakle
MANAGER OF ENGINEERING
Sharla Ivy
MANAGER OF PROCUREMENT
Michelle Warmuth
MANAGER OF MEMBER & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Heather Ziverk
MANAGER OF MEMBER SERVICES
w w w. k i a m i c h i e l e c t r i c . o rg
Brett Orme General Manager
On behalf of the Kiamichi Electric Co-op team and myself, I want to extend our deepest gratitude for joining us at our Annual Meeting this year. Your presence, engagement, and support are invaluable to us, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of your commitment to our cooperative. Our Annual Meeting serves as a vital platform for us to come together as a community, share important updates, and make decisions that shape the future of our cooperative. Your participation ensures that our cooperative’s governance remains transparent, democratic, and reflective of the needs and aspirations of our members. During the meeting, we had the opportunity to discuss key initiatives, financial updates, and our plans for the year ahead. As we move forward, please
know that your cooperative is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity services to our community. We are continuously working to enhance our infrastructure, improve reliability, and improve member service. Once again, thank you for taking the time to be a part of our Annual Meeting. Your active involvement strengthens the cooperative and reinforces the cooperative spirit that underpins our mission. If you have any further questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We value your input and look forward to hearing from you. Warm regards, Brett Orme, CEO
Meet Board Director Larry Culwell, continued from page 1 Although he has been retired from the school system for many years, his schedule is just as busy, if not more. The challenges the board of directors face today are more complex and numerous than ever before, and the best path forward isn’t always clearly marked. In addition to attending board meetings at KEC, he is tasked with staying up to date with current events and changes in the industry. In September 12, he became a trustee for KAMO Power in Vinita, Oklahoma, a transmission coop that serves a portion of KEC’s territory. In May of 2022, he was elected by the KAMO board of trustees to represent KAMO on the Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), in Springfield, Missouri, board of directors, which is a generation cooperative that also serves a portion of KEC’s territory. “Larry’s voice is invaluable in the KAMO boardroom. He ensures that his neighbors continue to receive safe, reliable, and affordable electricity” - Megan Long, KAMO Power Executive Assistant. AECI has a 12-person board, and Larry represents the 17 KAMO Power co-ops, including KEC. The board reviews plans for serving the member system from generation to transmission, ensuring AECI is in full environmental compliance and approving
rates to its members. It requires an extensive level of knowledge to make decisions on behalf of the members, so the lights stay on and bills stay affordable. “In just a year of serving on the AECI board, Larry has shown an ability to understand many complicated issues we deal with. He represents KEC’s members well at the board table,” – Joe Wilkinson, SVP and chief member relations officer at AECI. Culwell also serves on the KAMO Power Steering Committee, is the current KAMO Power board president, and is the KAMO Power representative on the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives board of directors (OAEC). “The board of directors has a unique role as they oversee the CEO and ensure key areas and policies are followed and implemented,” Culwell says. The board provides balance to management. A good board member needs experience, training, and the willingness to challenge management if necessary. Board directors must also complete training offered through our national organization, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Culwell remains up to the task and is eager to give his time to advancing KEC’s purpose, mission, and vision toward a bright future.
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operation round up M O N T H LY U P D AT E
Operation Round Up® is a voluntary bill roundup program that benefits local communities, organizations ,and needy families. Funding applications are available at Kiamichi Electric, local social services, or online at www.kiamichielectric.org. YEAR-TO-DATE COLLECTIONS: TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS SINCE INCEPTION: TOTAL COLLECTED SINCE INCEPTION:
$50,150.58 $1,820,172.94 $1,888,327.98
Renewables Report
Iced Pumpkin Cookies
INGREDIENTS
COOKIES: • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg • ½ teaspoon ground cloves • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 ½ cups white sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree • 1 large egg • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ICING: • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar • 3 tablespoons milk • 1 tablespoon melted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two cookie sheets.
To make the cookies: Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl.
Cream together sugar and butter in a mixing bowl until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla; beat until creamy. Mix in flour mixture until combined. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Bake in the preheated oven until centers are set, 15 to 20 minutes, switching racks halfway through. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the icing: Stir together confectioners’ sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies with a fork.
Data collected from Western Farmers Electric Cooperative — KEC’s wholesale power provider — reflects generation during August 2023, which shows 21 percent of the power generated by WFEC potentially come from renewable sources.
Recipe from AllRecipes.com
