Directors Elected, Updates Given, Prizes Awarded at Blue Ridge Electrics Annual Membership Meeting
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Corporate Communications, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Phone: (828) 758-2383; Pager: 1-800-471-1323; E-mail: Renee Whitener
Lenoir, North Carolina (June 11, 2001) – In addition to informing members on the state of the cooperative, four directors were elected and numerous prizes awarded at the Annual Membership Meeting of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation held Saturday, June 9 at Ashe County High School.
Some 2,500 people attended the 65th anniversary member- ship meeting.
In an uncontested election, four members were re-elected to serve three-year terms on the board of directors representing the membership: Johnnie Austin of Watauga district, John Woodruff of Alleghany district, Charles Edwards of Ashe district, and Jeff Joines, of Caldwell district. Austin currently serves as president of the board and Woodruff serves as vice president.
After board President Austin delivered introductory comments, Lee Chase, chief financial officer, delivered the financial report to members.
Chase said the cooperative was in strong fiscal condition. Among the highlights were no rate increases for the eighth consecutive year in 2001, and the retiring of $1 million in capital credits in 2000. Strong electric sales were recorded in 2000, with kilowatt-hour sales increasing 6 percent.
Chase added that the cooperative’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, LLC, had strong growth last year in terms of numbers of customers and in the acquisition of Ashe Oil Co. in Ashe County in 2000. Blue Ridge Energies also began serving the Catawba County market last year.
Doug Johnson, chief executive officer, gave members an update on key strategic issues for the cooperative, including deregulation, which Johnson said has been put on hold temporarily by the Study Commission on the Future of Electric Service in North Carolina until further study could be done. For Blue Ridge Electric to support any type of deregulation for North Carolina, it will have to show some benefit for rural areas, or at least not harm the residents in these areas, Johnson said. Johnson also shared that Blue Ridge Electric will continue its focus on investing in areas related to reliability of electric service to members.
Johnson added that the cooperative’s Blue Ridge Energies subsidiary would expand with an office in Alleghany County as the company locates with the Blue Ridge Electric district office in the former Lowe’s Hardware building later this year. Continued growth is expected in existing markets for Blue Ridge Energies, including Caldwell, Watauga and Ashe counties as well as in the Catawba County market.
Johnson said the cooperative remains strongly committed to providing personal touch customer service to members and customers and partnering with local communities on issues that improve the quality of life for residents.
Prizes and winners included:
GRAND PRIZE: 1994 Chrysler Town & Country Van:
John R. Jones of Piney Creek
Carolina Country Gift Basket:
Mack Settle, Roaring Gap
Jo Dee Messina/Ricky Skaggs Concert Tickets for An Appalachian Summer Festival’s Outdoor Fireworks Concert:
Mary R. Gentry, Crumpler
Broil King Gas Grill Winner:
Becky Church, Fleetwood
Vaughn Water Heater Winner:
Wade H. Caudill, Laurel Springs
$50 Cash Winners
Caldwell:
Louise W. Adderholdt, Hudson
John D. Hayes, Collettsville
Mary J. Julian, Granite Falls
James D. Bowman, Taylorsville
Watauga:
Ted D. Dancy, Zionville
Jack Dancy, Vilas
Ohyum Park, Blowing Rock
Robert S. Whitener & Deborah E. Whitener, Charlotte
Ashe:
David C. Ball, Grassy Creek
Guy C. Marsh, Jefferson
Clay A. Blackburn, Wilkesboro
Avery Roark, West Jefferson
Alleghany:
Henry E. Caudill, Laurel Springs
Robert A. Hall, Sparta
Willard T. Semones, Sparta
Martha B. Hooven, Sparta
