COMMUNITY VIEWPOINT: VEA relies on dedicated ambassadors

While VEA has experienced an abundance of success and progress in recent years, the formation and development of the Ambassador Program stands among our cooperative’s proudest achievements.

As a result of this program, VEA is now supported by a trusted group of more than 300 community members, all of whom are committed to the future of our cooperative and the communities we serve.

VEA is proud to provide its members with opportunities to learn more about the cooperative business model and contribute to our organization’s business activities and community outreach. Formed in 2006, the Ambassador Program supports this mission by allowing VEA members to work alongside our staff and board members on a wide range of projects and initiatives.

The Ambassadors recently made significant contributions to the planning and development of VEA’s new campus expansion project, providing valuable input on many aspects of the large-scale construction project. As a result of their feedback, we are moving forward with an innovative project designed specifically to meet the needs of VEA members.

It is also important to recognize the Ambassadors for their assistance in coordinating and supporting VEA’s 2014 Annual Meeting on April 26. I would like to thank all of the Ambassadors who helped make this year’s meeting a successful and informative event for the hundreds of community members in attendance.

In addition to assisting with community meetings and the campus expansion project, the Ambassadors also serve to foster the development of new, member-focused programs. This group of men and women initially moved VEA to pursue its Domestic Solar Water Heating Program, which has grown to become one of the most successful solar water heating programs in the country. In addition, the Ambassadors are currently working alongside VEA staff to develop ideas for a new photovoltaic energy program.

At VEA, we fully understand the importance of providing community members with opportunities to voice their opinions and support the continued success of our cooperative. I encourage VEA members to learn more about the rapidly growing Ambassador Program by visiting www.vea.coop.

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.