GONZALES, Texas – July 19, 2023 – GVEC’s 2023 Annual Meeting took place on June 23 at the Gonzales High School Special Events Center. In all, 1,337 members participated: 177 in person and 1,160 by proxy.
Registration began at 5:30 p.m., with GVEC Board President Gary E. Birdwell calling the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Board Director Melvin E. Strey delivered the invocation.
Next came the election of District Directors. All three 2023 elections were uncontested: Lewis Borgfeld was reelected to serve another term as District 2 Director; Morris Harvey was reelected to serve another term as Director of District 5; and Mark Roberts was reelected to serve another term as Director of District 8.
The 2023 Annual Meeting Video, titled A Mighty Purpose, presented an overview of challenges the Cooperative faced 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 members of GVEC by Board Directors Lewis Borgfeld and Melvin Strey. The pair stepped down from their executive positions of President and Vice President, respectively, in July 2022. Fortunately, Borgfeld and Strey both chose to continue serving on the Board, representing their districts of 2 and 7.
At the conclusion of the Annual Meeting Video, Board President Birdwell extended a heartfelt thank you to Borgfeld and Strey for their decades of leadership. Birdwell then unveiled plans to dedicate and rename the Community Meeting Rooms at the Schertz and La Vernia GVEC offices to The Lewis C. Borgfeld Community Room and the Melvin E. Strey Community Room, respectively. The beautiful plaques are designed to commemorate both Borgfeld’s and Strey’s exemplary service and trailblazing leaders to customers and employees of GVEC. The official dedications and ribbon cutting ceremonies will happen later this year.
A special presentation of GVEC’s Public Service Awards (PSA) also took place during the evening. The tradition began in 1986 to recognize people, businesses and organizations who have delivered consistent, unselfish, and considerable service to people around them and their communities. This year, GVEC opened its nominations for the PSA recipients to its members and received 37 submissions.
GVEC’s 2023 Individual PSA went to Linda Anzaldua of Cuero. 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 full-time, 100% volunteer to ensure all the pets are cared for properly. GVEC was pleased 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, groundbreaking 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 www.gvec.org.
GVEC is a progressive cooperative specializing in the delivery of products and services that empower the people and communities in the Guadalupe Valley. Offering dependable electricity, high-speed internet, electrician services, reliable AC/Heating sales and service as well as solar and battery storage solutions, GVEC serves over 100,000 consumers through five customer service locations in Cuero, Gonzales, La Vernia, Schertz and Seguin.
Cuero resident and community volunteer Linda Anzaldua received a 2023 GVEC Public Service Award (PSA) for her extensive service work and the impact she’s made in her community. From left: GVEC Board President Gary E. Birdwell, Anzaldua, GVEC General Manager and CEO Darren Schauer and GVEC Board Secretary/Treasurer Morris Harvey.
Cuero resident and community volunteer Linda Anzaldua received a 2023 GVEC Public Service Award (PSA) for her extensive service work and the impact she’s made in her community. From left: GVEC Board President Gary E. Birdwell, Anzaldua, GVEC General Manager and CEO Darren Schauer and GVEC Board Secretary/Treasurer Morris Harvey.
