COMMUNITY VIEWPOINT: VEA board offers valuable leadership

At Valley Electric Association, Inc. (VEA), we take pride in providing our members with local, democratic control of their cooperative. This is a core philosophy of the cooperative business model, and it is one of the primary reasons for VEA’s continued progress and success. Our elected Board of Directors provides valuable oversight and supports VEA’s ongoing mission to build a strong future for the cooperative and its members.

VEA would like to thank the many members of districts 5 and 6 who voted in our recent board member elections. As VEA members, you have the unique opportunity to select the board members who represent your communities. This is just one of the many benefits associated with VEA membership.

I would also like to take a moment to congratulate Dave Lowe and David Dawson on their re-election to the VEA Board of Directors. In addition, I would like to convey VEA’s tremendous gratitude toward all of the candidates who participated in this year’s elections. We are honored that so many of our dedicated members are willing to serve their cooperative.

Our communities have assembled a strong, qualified Board of Directors that will continue to offer our members a voice in all of VEA’s policy decisions. Our board remains committed to providing rate stability and fostering the development of new opportunities that bring value to our members.

The board is responsible for approving VEA’s innovative projects and programs, including our campus expansion project and the recently introduced EasyPay and SmartHub services.

It is important to note that our Board of Directors successfully led VEA through one of the most difficult economic periods in our nation’s history. As a result of these efforts, VEA is now positioned for long-term growth and continued success. As we build upon the foundation we have established in recent years, our dedicated board members will play a critical role in guiding all aspects of VEA’s member-focused mission.

Tom Husted has served as the CEO of VEA since 2006. He has more than 30 years of experience in the utility industry across the Western United States, including more than 20 years as a CEO. Each monthly edition of VEA’s Ruralite magazine features a column from Husted, offering his thoughts about issues affecting the cooperative and the communities it serves. These monthly columns are reprinted in the Pahrump Valley Times.