As I prepared to write my first magazine segment as president and CEO, I found myself thinking back to a time long before fiber-optic cables or smart meters — to my childhood home where the cooperative wasn’t just a company but a way of life.

While growing up, my father served as an electric cooperative district manager, and for him, the “end of the workday” was a suggestion, not a rule. I have vivid memories of him talking to a member after a long workday to answer a question or address their concern, never grumbling or complaining.

At home, the phone didn’t stop ringing just because the sun went down. If there was a storm, I remember my mother answering the phone on her own time, her voice steady and reassuring to a member in the dark. I was watching the cooperative spirit in action. 

Learning the work

My own professional journey with our cooperative began while in college as an engineering intern. In those days, we didn’t have the sophisticated digital mapping systems we use today. My tools were plastic templates and straight edges used to hand-draw construction prints for the lines that would bring power to a neighbor’s new home. Even as an intern, I knew every line I drew helped build the community I called home.

Over the last three decades, I have seen our cooperative change in ways I never could have imagined as a student. But the most significant shift occurred in recent years.

Taking care of our own

We all know that our area has not always shared in the massive economic booms seen by our urban neighbors. For too long, “rural” meant being left behind. We saw a digital divide that threatened our children’s education, our farmers’ ability to compete in a global market and our local businesses’ ability to grow.

Because we are a cooperative, we didn’t wait for a big-city corporation to come save us. We did what co-ops do: We took care of our own.

I was incredibly privileged to help design and build our fiber-to-the-home network. Today, I am proud to tell you because of the hard work of many Gibson employees that the network is complete. While many large cities are still struggling with high costs and slow speeds, we are providing 1 Gig service at prices below what you’ll find in major metropolitan areas.

Your cooperative’s services, both power and broadband, allow a student in a rural home to access the same educational resources as a student in Nashville. It allows a grandmother to see her grandchildren over a video call without the screen freezing. We offer better services than our urban friends.

When the sky turns black and the winds begin to howl, you don’t have to wonder if help is coming. You know our crews are already heading out, leaving their own families at home to restore power and connectivity to yours. You see us in your schools, demonstrating to students the life-saving importance of electrical safety. You see us supporting local livestock shows, county fairs, community festivals and small-town initiatives because your success is our success.

We are not a distant utility; we are your neighbors. We are the people you see at the grocery store, at Friday night football games and in the pews on Sunday morning.

Looking ahead

I step into this role with a profound sense of responsibility. I carry with me the lessons of my father’s patience, my mother’s dedication and the precision I learned as an intern with a straight edge and a dream.

The landscape of energy and telecommunications will continue to evolve. We will face new challenges — from rising material costs to the ever-changing needs of a modern power grid. But our mission remains the same as it was the day the first pole was set in the ground: to improve the quality of life for our neighbors.  

I look forward to serving you, listening to you, and ensuring — along with our team — that our cooperative remains the steady force for good our communities deserve.

Charles L. Phillips is the president and CEO of Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect.