BY JIM MILLER
Last month, I traveled across the state with the leadership team of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) for our district meetings with member cooperatives. During our visits, we talked about our foundational values and how they impact everything we do for Iowa’s electric cooperatives and the member-consumers they serve.
An organization’s mission should define what it does and why it exists. IAEC’s mission is to serve, support and advocate for our members by providing expertise and collaborative leadership.
Living our core values
Our core values are the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that dictate IAEC’s culture and standards for employees and board directors:
Integrity: We build relationships based on trust and honesty.
Leadership: We work as a unified team and lead by example.
Excellence: Our work is performed with excellence and empowered through innovation.
Service: We support our members with superior service in a timely manner.
When we talk about these statements and internalize them, it helps IAEC employees and board members make consistent and strategic decisions.
This column is my farewell message, as my term as a board director at Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Association expires later this month. I have had the incredible privilege of serving my local cooperative as a director for 18 years, and I often reflect on a quote that is written on the boardroom wall:
Every decision I make shall be based on what is best for the member-owners of this cooperative.
This quote is why I always prepared diligently for my local and state board meetings so I could make the most informed decisions.
A heartfelt thank you
As my term on the local co-op board comes to an end, so too does my service on the statewide board. I have truly enjoyed serving on the IAEC board for almost five years and as your statewide board president for the past two years.
I commend the outstanding staff at IAEC for their professionalism and expertise. I see IAEC’s core values of integrity, leadership, excellence and service at work every time I come to the statewide office.
As I step back from electric cooperative service, I must acknowledge my fellow statewide board directors. They greeted me with camaraderie and friendship from the very beginning, and our rapport has continued to grow. The IAEC boardroom is centered on mutual respect and trust because we focus on what unites us.
Finally, I want to thank my wife, Rae. She has been so supportive of my electric cooperative service for 18 years, and I could not have accomplished this work without her.
While my leadership comes to an end, I am excited for what the future holds for electric cooperatives in Iowa. Please know that you are well represented on the IAEC board by a team of directors and employees who embody statewide core values and cooperative values every day. It has been my honor to serve my fellow co-op members in this capacity.
Jim Miller is the board president for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, whose term ends this month.
