A new year and new beginnings! As I begin my comments this month, I want to start by recognizing two GVEC Directors who have announced their intent to retire at the end of their terms. District 7 Director Melvin Strey and District 10 Director Don Williams have been instrumental in the Board’s guidance of the Cooperative and are retiring with a combined 81-years of service. They have been wonderful advisors and mentors to me during my tenure, and GVEC is certainly better off thanks to their leadership and wise counsel.
Strey was elected to the board in 1977, serving as Vice President for 30 years. He stepped down from his officer’s responsibilities last year and will end his tenure with 48 years of faithful service to the GVEC membership. Over the years, a few significant moves Strey helped oversee were the refinancing of REA (government) debt into private markets, the restructuring of GVEC’s power supply strategy and the creation of GVEC Internet Services.
Williams began his career with DeWitt Electric Cooperative in 1992, serving as Board President for two of those years. Williams was integral in the successful consolidation with GVEC on January 1, 2002. At retirement, he will have served the electric cooperative membership for nearly 33 years. During his tenure, he saw the explosive growth of the oil and gas industry with the Eagle Ford Shale as well as the urban and commercial growth in our western region where the number of electric meters has doubled.
These gentlemen will be missed on our Board, and we wish each well in his retirement. As always, the Cooperative will move forward, and we are standing on a much firmer foundation due to Strey’s and Williams’ service to the Cooperative. Thank you for your service to the GVEC Board, employees, membership, customers and our communities.
Director Nominations Open
The retirements of Strey and Williams means there will be vacancies for Districts 7 and 10, respectively. Additionally, incumbent directors, District 1 Director Robert Werner and District 4 Director Shawn Martinez, are up for reelection this year. Each director represents his/her district on our Board and is elected to staggered three-year terms. At the end of the term, a new election must be held, which is why each district meets once every three years. Read about our leadership bios here.
There are primarily two options for nominating a Director Candidate. The first is by being nominated and receiving a majority vote of the members who are present and entitled to vote at the respective District Meeting. The other option for an individual to be nominated to run for director is by the submission of a petition signed by 100 eligible members whose membership is within that district.
The nominee from the district meeting and/or the names of those who submit a valid petition will be placed on the ballot as director candidates for each respective district. The director for each district is elected by the full membership either by submitting a proxy ballot or voting in person at the Annual Meeting.
Aside from the basic nominating process, there are eligibility requirements a director candidate or current director must meet and maintain. Anyone interested in running for a director position is encouraged to familiarize himself or herself with the process and requirements by obtaining a copy of the Cooperative’s Bylaws and visiting with staff.
Visit gvec.org to learn more about electrical safety, our interconnection programs and your membership benefits. As always, I welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns by phone at 830.857.1152, by email at dschauer@gvec.org or by mail at P.O. Box 118, Gonzales, Texas 78629.
