Cooperatives around the world, including GCEA, operate according to a set of seven core cooperative principles. These seven principles applied together make the cooperative business model unique from other electric utilities and greatly benefit GCEA’s members.
The fifth cooperative principle — Education, Training, and Information — encourages cooperative members, the board, and staff to develop, grow, and advance strategic priorities both within their communities and across the electric industry as a whole.
GCEA grows and sustains member and community education by regularly hosting informational meetings and events including Coffee with Your Co-op, Brats and Kilowatts, EV Ride and Drives, Climate Action Coalition quarterly meetings, and our annual meeting. GCEA also offers home energy evaluations that provide detailed information to members on their home energy use patterns, available beneficial electrification technologies, and GCEA’s applicable electrification rebate offers.
Each summer, GCEA promotes member education by sending younger members to the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. On this trip, students learn about cooperative principles, history, governance, operations, and leadership. These young leaders also have opportunities to meet our U.S. Senate and House representatives, meet peers from other electric cooperatives throughout the United States, and tour amazing national museums and historic sites in Washington, D.C. GCEA also sends students to Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp held at Glen Eden Resort near Steamboat Springs. There, they learn leadership skills and develop an understanding of the cooperative business model.
GCEA also encourages member education through monthly e-newsletters informing members of upcoming events, ongoing projects, and the cooperative’s goals and achievements. GCEA’s website is a valuable resource for billing, payment, and other account information, as well as energy-efficiency tips and rebate opportunities. In addition to these initiatives, GCEA members are always invited to our monthly board meetings to voice their ideas and learn more about GCEA’s operations and projects.
For staff and board members, GCEA encourages approved cooperative trainings and certifications. Our lineworkers regularly attend training at Mesa Hotline School. Accounting and billing staff may attend National Information Solutions Cooperative’s Member Information Conference or Co-op U, an intensive accounting training program sponsored by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation. Board members are required to receive their Credentialed Cooperative Director certification from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and information technology staff may attend National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s CyberTech conference, a weeklong forum solely focused on cybersecurity within the energy industry. Executive staff may pursue a nationally recognized management internship program, and metering and engineering staff have multiple continuing education and training requirements.
With all of these training and educational opportunities, GCEA is building a smarter co-op, one effort at a time. We appreciate you taking the time to engage with your rural electric cooperative and educate yourself about all the benefits of your GCEA membership. We look forward to seeing you at a future board meeting or community event, and invite you to visit with us at our Gunnison or Crested Butte offices.
Author: Matt Feier Strategy Execution, Technology, and Member Experience Manager
