prince george electric cooperative news · 5/5/2018 · today, pgec continues to add service...

18 | Cooperative Living | May 2018 Prince George Electric Cooperative

Prince George ElectricCooperative News

PRINCE GEORGEELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Headquarters:7103 General Mahone Hwy.

P.O. Box 168Waverly, VA 23890-0168

Customer Service Office:5718 Courthouse RoadPrince George, VA 23875

24-Hour Emergency Service804-834-2424

Website: www.pgec.coop

Office Hours: M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

President & CEOMike Malandro, P.E.

Prince George Electric Cooperative is anequal opportunity provider and employer.

Students Selected for 2018 Washington, D.C., Youth Tour

Prince George Electric Cooperative (PGEC) annually sponsors up to four highschool juniors for a week-long trip to Washington, D.C., to learn aboutcooperatives, meet kids from across the country, tour the capitol, meet with

U.S. congressmen, and visit museums and monuments.This year there are four students who were selected to represent PGEC on this trip.

Jacob C. Boze — is a rising senior at Tidewater Academy and the son of PaulRogers and Dawn Boze Rogers of Wakefield. Jacob enjoys playing basketball,baseball and hunting, and community service. Jacob is also a member of FCA andhas future interest in the agricultural field and his studies may include becomingan electrician.

Logan B. Cole — is a rising senior at Prince George High School and is the sonof Jason Stillings and Jennifer Benenhaley of Prince George. Logan is active in theBETA Club, DECA, the Model Judiciary and enjoys fashion design, music andhiking/swimming. After high school, Logan’s interest will be focused on fashiondesign and being a model.

Morgan S. Crawley — is a rising senior at Prince George High School (PGHS)and the daughter of Lunette Crawley-Price of Prince George. Morgan participatesin several school activities including track & field, Key Club and enjoys paintingand physical fitness. Morgan is also ranked third in her class at PGHS.

Tiffany E. Whittington — is a rising senior at Prince George High School and is thedaughter of Harold and Diahann Whittington of Prince George. Tiffany participates in theModel Judiciary, Key Club and enjoys musical theatre, journalism, politics and playingtennis. After high school, Tiffany plans to pursue an advanced sociological education andperhaps establish a non-profit organization.

Be sure and visit the PGEC Facebook page in June to see photos from the tour!

Jacob Boze

Morgan Crawley

Tiffany Whittington

Logan Cole

Holiday ClosingPGEC offices will be closed on Monday, May 28,2018, in observance ofMemorial Day.

Please call 804-834-2424for 24-houremergencyservice.

From left: Tim Bryan, chief executive officer of NRTC, with MikeMalandro, president & CEO of Prince George Electric Cooperative,who was recently elected to represent Region 1 on the NRTC boardof directors.

Malandro named to board of NRTC, a nationalutility solutions provider

Mike Malandro, president & CEO of Prince George ElectricCooperative (PGEC), has been elected to the board ofdirectors of the National Rural Telecommunications

Council (NRTC). He succeeds James E. Magnum, CEO andgeneral manager of Wake Electric Membership Cooperative inNorth Carolina.

Malandro was elected to a three-year term representing theNational Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) District 1,which includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. He joins a 17-member board comprised of representatives from each ofNRECA’s 10 districts, four at-large directors representing telephonecooperatives; and heads of NRECA, the National Rural UtilitiesCooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) and the Rural BroadbandAssociation (NTCA).

“As PGEC works to expand our Cooperative’s fiber-opticnetwork and provide affordable, high-speed internet access tomore of our membership, I look forward to serving on the NRTCboard and supporting the national effort to provide high-qualitybroadband service across rural America,” said Malandro.

About NRTCNRTC provides solutions that help its 1,500 electric and

telephone members bring all of the advantages of today’s evolvingtechnology to rural America.

NRTC’s products and services are developed specifically to meetthe needs of rural utilities and their customers, and includeintegrated smart-grid and utility solutions, advanced energy,broadband infrastructure and managed network services, wirelesstechnologies and programming distribution capabilities for videoproviders. NRTC helps ensure its members’ success by aggregatingtheir individual buying power, negotiating national contracts, andhelping members integrate technology solutions with existinginfrastructure.

PGEC vice president recognized for Excellence in EconomicDevelopment Leadership to Virginia’s Gateway Region, EDO

From left, representing Virginia’s Gateway Region: Emily Flippo, marketing & trade investmentmanager; Linda Mendy, research & development business investment manager; and EmilySalmon, interim president & CEO. And far right, representing PGEC, is Renee Chapline, V.P.of communications & government relations.

On Jan. 29, 2018, Renee Chaplineassumed the role of vice president ofcommunications & government relationswith Prince George Electric Cooperative

after serving as president and CEO ofVirginia’s Gateway Region EconomicDevelopment Organization for more than13 years.

On Feb. 28 supporters of Virginia’sGateway Region (VGR) looked back on itslongtime leader’s tenure and celebratedthe year’s success at the economicdevelopment group’s 57th annual meetingat the Country Club of Petersburg. Thegroup gave special recognition to Chapline,past president and CEO, for her years ofservice to the organization. When shejoined VGR in 2005, she became the first female to serve as president & CEOof a regional economic developmentorganization in Virginia.

Under Chapline’s leadership, the regionsaw 231 company announcements, morethan 20,000 new jobs and just over $5.5billion in capital investment. “Renee’stremendous leadership and success haveput this region on the map internationally,”said Victor Branch, VGR board of directorschairman and Richmond market presidentfor Bank of America.

www.pgec.coop May 2018 | Cooperative Living | 19


PGEC recognized for leadership in innovationPrince George Electric Cooperative leads the way with pilot broadband program.

Prince George Electric Cooperative (PGEC) wasrecognized Feb. 22, 2018, at an awards ceremonyat the Upper Shirley Vineyard by the Hopewell/

Prince George Chamber of Commerce. Mike Malandro,CEO of PGEC, accepted the Innovative Practices awardon behalf of the Cooperative. “After years of waiting forservice in the county, citizens are finally able to tap ontoa fiber network created by the same Cooperative thatprovides electricity to the home. PGEC is a cooperative-based model, in which internet customers are membersof the Cooperative and the enterprise operates on a not-for-profit basis,” stated Malandro.

The greater impact of the innovative leadershipdriven by PGEC will spur enhancements in education,healthcare, career and business opportunities, and openthe door to the global economy for the people of thecounty. This pilot project addresses the barrier of accessto adequate broadband service that rural communitiesstill face in 2018.

The economics of providing broadband internetservices in rural areas is not attractive to the cable andTV companies. According to Malandro, “This project is a natural for us. We’re in the business of putting ininfrastructure and providing exceptional customerservice to our members.”

Co-ops, just by their very nature, are locally governedand responsive to their members. Embracing newopportunities through innovation for rural communitiesis a top priority for the PGEC leadership. The pilot wasextremely successful and well received by members.Today, PGEC continues to add service territory in aphased approach.

Shown presenting PGEC the Innovative Practices award from the Hopewell/PrinceGeorge Chamber of Commerce is Task Force Chair Beverly Epps, HCA JohnRandolph Medical Center, and Mike Malandro, president & CEO, right, acceptingthe honor.

PGEC’s Secure Pay Available 24/7Easy to use and available 24 hours a day, Secure Paymeets your busy

schedule demands. Secure Pay is your way to pay on your account with debitor credit card by phone.

Phone the Cooperative at 804-834-2424 and select option #2. You canaccess Secure Pay by entering your account number or the primary phonenumber attached to your PGEC account. Secure Pay benefits include: checking your account balance, finding out

due date, confirming amount and date of your last payment ... and allowing you to make secure account payments by either debit or credit card usingVISA or MasterCard.

Why Secure Pay? The Payment Card Industry, which oversees the use ofcredit cards, has implemented steps to secure consumer data availablethrough credit card transactions. PGEC’s Secure Pay ensures compliance withthis policy in protection of our members’ personal information when paying by phone.


PGEC Crews to the Rescue ...

Co-ops Helping Co-ops

On Saturday March 3, crews

from Prince George Electric

Cooperative (PGEC) headed

north to provide mutual-aid storm-

restoration assistance to Rappahannock

Electric Cooperative (REC). Just as

the PGEC team restored power to

our members affected by the wind

storm the day before, the call went

out to help REC crews restore power

to a large percentage of their service

territory. A few of the damage photos

from REC are above.

Headed up by crew leads Brian Carr

and Jeff Hite — the mutual-aid crew

from PGEC included team members:

Jason Jessop, Bobby Cain, Merritt

Perkins, Clinton Presson, Ronnie Wall

and Chris Pruitt. With bags packed, the

linemen set off to help out a fellow

Virginia co-op. The crew split into

teams and worked with the REC staff

in locating critical issue areas and in

restoring power in the Bowling Green,

Culpeper, Madison, Louisa areas and

several other rural locales.

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

has hit especially hard by the driving

winds that hit their service territory from

late Thursday, March 1, through Friday,

March 2. In total, the wind damage

affected more than 71,000 REC

members and accounted for more than

350 broken poles. To restore power as

quickly as possible, REC called upon

more than 200 mutual-aid workers from

around Virginia and six other states.

Many of the outages REC experienced

were in rural and mountainous regions

where crews needed to use tracked

vehicles to reach the worst of the

damage. “I can’t say enough about the

guys who have worked around the clock

— in trying conditions — to literally

rebuild much of REC’s network from

the ground up,” said Robbie Beard,

manager of REC’s western region.

Working 15- to 17-hour days,

the PGEC team helped provide

valuable restoration support to a

fellow co-op and returned tired and

ready for some rest on Friday, March 9.

“Eight long, hard days,” said Brian Carr,

“but I know REC and all the other area

co-ops would do the same for us if we

needed their help. It’s all about co-ops

helping other co-ops.”

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The following excerpts from theCooperative’s Bylaws pertain tothe election of directors:

Article IV – Board of DirectorsSECTION 4.1 – Director Districts. The

Cooperative shall divide the general area inwhich Members are located or reside(“Cooperative Service Area”) into ninedistricts (“Director Districts”). If necessary,the Board may revise the Director Districtsto ensure that Members are equitablyrepresented by the Director Districts. TheBoard may also revise the Director Districtto create one or more separate DirectorDistricts for one or more Classes of Members;provided, however, that each Member,regardless of Class, shall be eligible to votefor at least one Director. Director Districtsfor any Class need not but may have thesame territorial boundaries as the DirectorDistricts for any other Class. In addition,the Board may authorize the election of oneor more at-large directors, who shall beelected by any class or classes of memberswithout regard to Director Districts.

Within thirty days following anyDirector District revision, and at least thirtydays before the next Annual MemberMeeting, the Cooperative shall notify, inwriting, any Members affected by theDirector District revision. Director Districtrevisions are effective on the date theCooperative releases written notice of theDirector District revision. No DirectorDistrict revision may:

1. Increase an existing Director’s DirectorTerm; or

2. Unless the affected Director consentsin writing, shorten any existingDirector’s Director Term.

SECTION 4.2 – Board. The Cooperativeshall have a Board consisting of one naturalperson from each Director District electedby the Members located or residing andbelonging to the Class entitled to elect adirector from such Director District andsuch at-large directors as the Board shallauthorize. Except as otherwise provided byLaw, the Articles, or these Bylaws:

1. All Cooperative powers must be exercised by the Board, or under theBoard’s authority; and

2. All Cooperative affairs must be managed under the Board’s direction.

To the extent the Law, the Articles, orthese Bylaws authorize any Person to exercise any power that the Board wouldotherwise exercise, the Person exercisingthe power has, and is subject to, the sameduties, responsibilities, and standards ofcare of the Board.

SECTION 4.3 – Director Qualifi cations.Any Director or Director candidate mustcomply with this Section.

A. Director Qualifications. A Director orDirector candidate must:1. Be a natural person;2. Have the capacity to enter into legally

binding contracts, and3. Be a Member in good standing

residing in the Director District fromwhich the Director is elected orchosen or be a duly authorized officer,director or employee of a non-naturalperson Member located in theDirector District from which theDirector is being elected; and

4. If the Cooperative has any separateDirector Districts for any Class, be aMember of such Class.

Items 1–4 collectively, “MembershipDirector Qualifications.”

B. Conflict of Interest Director Qualifica tions.While a Director, and during the oneyear immediately prior to becoming aDirector, a Director or Directorcandidate must not be, nor have been:1. A Close Relative of any existing

Director, other than an existingDirector who will cease being aDirector within one year;

2. An existing, or a Close Relative of anexisting, non-Director CooperativeOfficer, employee, agent, or repre sentative;

3. Employed by, materially affiliatedwith, or share a material financialinterest with, any other Director; or

4. Engaged in, nor employed by, materially affiliated with, or have amaterial financial interest in, anyindividual or entity other than anentity in which the cooperativepossessed an ownership interest(other than an entity in which theCooperative possesses an ownershipinterest):a. Directly and substantially

competing with the Cooperative;b. Selling goods or services in

substantial quantity to the Cooperative or to a substantialnumber of Members; or

c. Possessing a substantial conflict ofinterest with the Cooperative.

5. Employed by the Cooperative withintwo years prior to becoming a Director.

Items a–c collectively, “Conflict of Interest Director Qualifications.”

C. Continuing Director Qualifications. Onlynatural persons complying with theMembership Director Qualifica tions,and Conflict of Interest Director

Qualifications (collectively, “DirectorQualifications”) may serve, or continueto serve, as a Director.

After being elected or appointed aDirector, if any Director fails to complywith any Director Qualification, asdetermined by the Board, then the Boardshall remove the Director. If at least amajority of Directors authorized by theseBylaws comply with the DirectorQualifications and approve a Boardaction, then the failure of any Director tocomply with all Director Qualificationsdoes not affect the Board action.

SECTION 4.4 – Director Nominations.Director candidates shall be nominated as follows:

A. Nominating Committee Nominations. The Board shall appoint a NominatingCom mittee consisting of one Memberfrom each Director District (“Nomi -nating Com mittee”). NominatingCommittee members may not be anexisting, or a Close Relative of anexisting, Coop era tive Director, Officer,employee, agent, representative, orknown Director candidate.

At least thirty days prior to the MemberMeeting at which Members arescheduled to elect Directors, theNominating Committee shall:1. Nominate at least one individual to

run for election for each Directorposition for which Members arescheduled to vote at the MemberMeeting (“Nominating CommitteeNominations”); and

2. Post the Nominating CommitteeNominations at the Cooperative’s principal office and provide written notice to Members of theNomi nating Committee Nominations.

The Cooperative may reasonablycompensate or reimburse NominatingCom mit tee members as determined by the Board.

B. Member Petition Nominations. Membersmay nominate additional qualifiedindividuals to run for election for anyDirector position for which Members arescheduled to vote at any MemberMeeting (“Member Petition Nomina -tions”). Members may make MemberPetition Nominations by delivering tothe Secretary at least seventy-fivebusiness days prior to the MemberMeeting in writing for each MemberPetition Nomination (“Member Petition”):1. Listing the name of the Member

Petition Nominee;2. Indicating the Director position


NOMINATING COMMITTEE SELECTEDIn accordance with the Cooperative’s Bylaws, a Nominating Committee was

appointed by the Board of Directors of Prince George Electric Coopera tive. This committee is charged with the responsibility of nominating members from Districts 2, 5 and 7 as candidates for directors of the Cooperative. The followingpersons were appointed to the Nominating Committee, which will meet in May 2018 at the Waverly Headquarters.

Brian E. Coey District 1 – Bland

Prince George, VA 23875

Ligon L. Jones District 2 – Blackwater-Brandon

Disputanta, VA 23842

T. Wayne Chappell District 3 – Guilford

Waverly, VA 23890

Vernelle Rickmond District 4 – Cobham-Blackwater

Surry, VA 23883

Thomas C. Moore, Jr. District 5 – Waverly-Wakefield-Newville

Waverly, VA 23890

Thomas E. Vaughan District 6 – Stony Creek-Sussex Courthouse

Carson, VA 23830

James E. Hill District 7 – Templeton

Disputanta, VA 23842

Janice Chappell District 8 – Dinwiddie

Dinwiddie, VA 23841

Patricia J. Moneymaker District 9 – Rives

Petersburg, VA 23805

Directors whose terms expire at this year’s Annual Meeting, scheduled for Aug.27, 2018, are as follows:

Paul H. Brown District 2 – Blackwater-Brandon

Christopher T. Parker District 5 – Waverly-Wakefield-Newville

Denya C. Hankerson District 7 – Templeton

for which the Member PetitionNominee will run; and

3. Containing the printed names, addresses, telephone numbers, andoriginal signatures, of at least fivepercent (5%) of the Members locatedin the Director District for which theperson named in the Member Petitionwill run.

After verifying that a Member Petitioncomplies with this Bylaw, the Coopera tiveshall post the Member Petition Nominationin approximately the same location as theNominating Committee Nominations.C. Notice of Director Nominations. At least

ten days prior to any Member Meeting atwhich Members are scheduled to electDirectors, the Cooperative shall notifyMembers of the:1. Director positions for which Members

are scheduled to vote;2. Names and corresponding Director

positions of all NominatingCommittee Nominations; and

3. Names and corresponding Directorpositions of all Member PetitionNominations.

SECTION 4.5 –Director Elections. Atthe Annual Member Meeting, Coopera tiveMembers shall annually elect Directors foropen Director positions or for Directorpositions for which the incumbentDirector’s Director Term is expiring.

SECTION 4.6 – Director Terms. A Director’s term is [three] years (“DirectorTerm”). The Cooperative shall staggerDirector Terms by dividing the total numberof authorized Directors into groups ofapproximately equal number and memberswill annually elect an approximately equalnumber of Directors.

Decreasing the number of Directors orlength of Director Terms may not shortenan incumbent Director’s Director Term.Despite the expiration of a Director Term,the Director continues to serve until a newDirector is elected, or until the number ofDirectors is decreased. Unless otherwiseprovided in these Bylaws, the Director Termof a Director filling a vacant Director’sposition is the remaining unexpired DirectorTerm of the vacant Director’s position.

SECTION 4.9 –Director Vacancy.Unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws:

1. The Board shall, by majority vote, fillany vacant Director position,including any vacant Director position resulting from increasing thenumber of Directors; and

2. Any Director elected by the Board tofill any vacant Director position shallserve until the next Annual Member

Meeting, at which time the Membersshall elect a Director to fill thepreviously vacant Director position.

An individual elected to fill a vacantDirector position must comply with theDirector Qualifications. As used in thisBylaw, “vacant Director position” and“Director vacancy” do not include Director positions vacated due to an expired Director Term.

SECTION 4.12 – Close Relative.Asused in these Bylaws, the term “CloseRelative” means an individual who:

1. Is, either by blood, law, or marriage,including half, step, foster, andadoptive relations, a spouse, child,grandchild, parent, grandparent, orsibling; or

2. Principally resides in the sameresidence.

Any individual properly qualified andelected or appointed to any position doesnot become a Close Relative while servingin the position because of any marriage orlegal action to which the individual was not a party.


PGEC reminds members to plug into safety

In May, electric cooperatives across the country promote safety awareness to

coincide with National Electrical Safety Month. Every year, thousands of

accidents occur due to shock hazards, and Prince George Electric Cooperative

(PGEC), a not-for-profit electric utility, is committed to educating the public about

potential electrical dangers in the home.

In 2016, 475,500 structure fires (including residential fires) were reported in the

U.S., causing 2,950 deaths, 12,775 injuries and $7.9 billion in property damage.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, a residential fire was reported

every 90 seconds. Many home fires occur when electrical equipment is outdated or

improperly used.

“It is critical that the public understands their home’s electrical system and the

safety concerns associated with the latest residential technologies before bringing

them into their homes,” explains Mike Malandro, PGEC president & CEO. “With

newer technologies, such as solar panels, electric vehicles and more electrical

gadgets in the home, people need to ensure they have an electrical system that’s

compatible with the increased load.”

To raise awareness of the importance of electrical safety, PGEC has information

on its website pgec.coop, under Your Safety.

Through electrical safety awareness and education, we can all play a part in

preventing electrical hazards and injuries in the future. Together, let’s plug into

safety this May.

prince george electric cooperative news · 5/5/2018 · today, pgec continues to add service...

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