GVEC held its 2023 Annual Meeting June 23 at the Gonzales High School Special Events Center. A total of 1,337 members participated, either in person or by proxy.
Meeting registration began at 5:30 p.m. While waiting for the business meeting, attendees mingled, enjoyed refreshments, ate chili dogs and listened to prerecorded classic and contemporary country music. They also browsed exhibits featuring GVEC products and services.
GVEC Board President Gary E. Birdwell opened the business meeting at 7 p.m., and Board Director Melvin E. Strey delivered the invocation.
Next came the election of District Directors. Three incumbent Directors were elected to a three-year term on the GVEC Board of Directors: Lewis Borgfeld of Schertz will serve as Director of District 2; Morris Harvey of Nixon will serve as Director of District 5; and Mark Roberts of Schertz will serve as Director of District 8.
The 2022 Annual Meeting Video, entitled A Mighty Purpose, emphasized challenges the Cooperative face in 2022 and how it’s team of professionals rose to overcome those challenges through dedication, tenacity and an unwavering commitment to the members and customers they serve.
The video also highlighted the more-than-40-years of accomplishments and service to the GVEC Board Directors of Lewis Borgfeld and Melvin Strey. The pair stepped down from their executive positions of President and Vice President, respectively. Fortunately they chose to continue serving on the Board, representing their districts in nonexecutive roles.
The following points were highlighted in the meeting:
- Lewis Borgfeld and Melvin E. Strey stepped down from their executive roles as President and Vice President, respectively. Their combined time in executive leadership totaled 66 years, guiding the Cooperative through many changes and advancements during that tenure. Fortunately, both will continue to serve GVEC membership as regular Board members.
- GVEC’s Beyond the Meter services—Electrician services, AC/heating services, and Solar and Battery Storage—increased overall revenues in 2022 by 31%.
- AC/heating was impacted by supply chain problems and inflation, but GVEC partnered with additional equipment and materials suppliers to help ensure we remained competitive.
- Solar sales and installations rose 68% in 2022, while battery storage sales were up 40%.
- Our Electrician team was busy installing EV chargers in 2022, as GVEC honored 57% more EV charger rebates compared to 2021.
- GVEC Internet had a strong year.
- We added 250 miles of new overhead fiber-optic cable and 24 miles of underground, creating 4,461 additional passings.
- GVEC Wireless upgraded seven existing wireless towers to Citizens Broadband Radio Service, a cutting-edge, military-grade standard with superior range and reliability.
- GVEC’s Power Up™ community grant program celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022. The year saw 22 more local nonprofit community enhancement projects funding, bringing projects sponsored throughout the decade of giving to 213.
- The 2022 financial report confirmed GVEC’s continued strong financial footing.
Public Service Awards
Since 1986, GVEC has celebrated exceptional community service by individuals, businesses and organizations with its Public Service Award. For 2023, GVEC opened its Public Service Award nominations to its members.
GVEC’s 2023 PSA went to Linda Anzaldua. Originally from Houston, Anzaldua and her husband Lawrence have resided full time in Cuero since 2006. As a retiree in Cuero, she has been involved in many local projects, events and causes including the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum Board, DeWitt Wildflower Association, Keep Cuero Beautiful Committee, Miss Cuero pageant, Cuero Regional Hospital Gala and Taste of the Trail event. In 2010, both Mr. and Mrs. Anzaldua were awarded the Cuero Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Award for their extensive community involvement. For the past five years, Anzaldua has channeled her love for animals into working on behalf of stray, abandoned, injured, mistreated, and homeless cats and dogs through Cuero Pet Adoptions. She works every day as the center’s only fulltime, 100% volunteer to ensure all the pets are cared for properly. GVEC was please to recognize and honor Anzaldua for all the time she’s given and work she’s done to help improve the quality of life for all—be it person or pet—who call Cuero home.
GVEC’s 2023 organizational PSA went to the La Vernia Historical Association. The Association was founded in 2002. In 2005 it opened the La Vernia Heritage Museum, which is free to the public and offers permanent and changing exhibits. The Association voted to build the La Vernia Veterans Memorial in 2007, and after many years of fundraising, including the help of a $20,000 GVEC Power Up™ grant, ground breaking for phase 1 of the project occurred in 2017. In 2019, phase II was completed, which includes 10 impressive seven-foot walls inscribed with names of honorably discharged local veterans from each military branch. Phase III is currently underway with an expected completion date of Veterans Day 2023. On hand to accept the award on the Association’s behalf were President Elaine Stephens, Vice President Susan Richter, Secretary Nancy Scull, Treasurer Walter Scull and Parliamentarian Graham Lawrence.
Members can view the Annual Report as well as the video presentation online at gvec.org.
