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SECO Energy Contractors Aid Texas Power Restoration

SECO Energy contractors were released on Sunday, February 14, to join the massive power restoration effort in Texas. Over 4 million Texans are without power following deadly ice storms.

 

SECO Energy released five Pike Electric crews and three Nelson Tree crew modules to assist with the restoration effort. Both contractor crews left SECO on Monday, February 15. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a Winter Storm Warning continues for the majority of Texas. The warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday, February 16, through 6 a.m. Thursday, February 18. Heavy rains and two to six inches of snow are expected. Ice accumulations of .10 to .25 inches are expected as well.

 

A federal emergency was declared on Sunday, February 14, for the entire state of Texas. The state is under a Winter Storm Warning that includes snow, ice and extremely low temperatures. Residents are being warned to limit travel during the ice storm.

 

Jim Duncan CEO stated, “We are happy to release crews from Pike Electric and Nelson Tree modules so they can travel to Texas to aid in power restoration. I wish them a safe journey and a safe and successful power restoration effort as they work through the snow and ice. We appreciate the crews’ willingness to leave their homes and families to assist others.”

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy District 9 Members Elect Morgan Hatfield

SECO Energy members who reside in District 9 elected Morgan Hatfield as the new Trustee on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. The meeting was held in the District on Thursday, February 11, at Spring Creek Elementary School in Paisley for the purpose of electing a Trustee to represent District 9 on SECO’s Board of Trustees.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO’s service area is geographically divided into nine Districts. One Trustee is elected from each of the nine Districts to represent their fellow members on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the membership at large.

 

Along with Morgan Hatfield, Charles Castro of Tavares, Egor Emery of Eustis, Timothy Henke of Mount Dora, Crystal Jones of Eustis and Zackery Snaidman of Paisley each submitted a letter of intent to run for Trustee in January. SECO’s Bylaws currently require that the cooperative hold District Meetings. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections as the cooperative continues to hold District Meetings as a means of electing Trustees. A drive-thru voting option was available for members to practice social distancing and to reduce the size of the indoor meeting.

 

A SECO member since 2019, Ms. Hatfield graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in finance. She is a Senior Wealth Advisor with Ruggie Wealth Management. Ms. Hatfield has been ranked as a five-star professional wealth manager and has served as Vice President of the 2019 Leadership Lake County.

 

Ms. Hatfield is excited to begin her SECO Energy Board service. Hatfield stated, “I want to share my appreciation for all of the District 9 members who attended the District Meeting and cast a vote. Thank you for trusting me as your District 9 Trustee. I look forward to serving the SECO membership in my role as Trustee and working with my fellow Board members.”

 

Board president Richard Dennison stated, “Congratulations, Ms. Hatfield, on your election as District 9 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we welcome you and look forward to working with you to ensure SECO Energy’s future success.”

 

Jim Duncan CEO stated, “Ms. Hatfield, I appreciate your willingness to serve as District 9 Trustee. I applaud your dedication to your neighboring members and to the success of SECO Energy. Thank you District 9 members for participating in the cooperative’s democratic process by attending our District 9 Meeting to elect a Trustee for the SECO Board.”

 

To view a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map, visit our Board of Trustees page. “Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy District 8 Members Re-elect Trustee William James

SECO Energy members who reside in District 8 re-elected incumbent Trustee William James. The meeting was held in the District on Tuesday, February 9, at The Manor at The Plantation in Leesburg for the purpose of electing a Trustee to represent District 8 on SECO’s Board of Trustees.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO’s service area is geographically divided into nine Districts. One Trustee is elected from each of the nine Districts to represent their fellow members on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the membership at large.

 

Along with incumbent Trustee Mr. James, Ms. Annette Bailey of Leesburg and Mr. Martin Proctor of Groveland each submitted a letter of intent to run for Trustee in January. SECO’s Bylaws require that the cooperative hold a District Meeting. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections as the cooperative continues to hold District Meetings as a means of electing Trustees. A drive-thru voting option was available for members to practice social distancing and to reduce the size of the indoor meeting.

 

A SECO member since 2002 who resides in Leesburg, Mr. James has served on SECO’s Board of Trustees for 10 years. Trustee James has spent 45 years of his career in the electric cooperative segment of the energy industry. Mr. James is also a SECO representative on the board of the cooperative’s wholesale power provider Seminole Electric Cooperative.

 

Trustee James is honored to continue his SECO Board service. Mr. James stated, “Thank you, District 8 members, for re-electing me to the SECO Energy Board. It is an honor to serve my fellow District 8 members. I look forward to continuing my Board service with SECO and working with my Board peers.”

 

Board president Richard Dennison stated, “Congratulations, Mr. James, on your re-election as District 8 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we look forward to continue working with you.”

 

Jim Duncan CEO stated, “Mr. James, I appreciate your willingness to serve as District 8 Trustee. I applaud your dedication to your District’s members and to the success of SECO Energy. Thank you District 8 members for participating in the cooperative’s democratic process by attending the meeting to elect a Trustee for the SECO Board.”

 

To view a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map, visit our Board of Trustees page. “Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy District 7 Members Re-elect Trustee Joseph Kusiak

SECO Energy members who reside in District 7 re-elected incumbent Trustee Joseph Kusiak. The meeting was held in the District on Thursday, January 28, at the Rainbow Lakes Estates Community Center for the purpose of electing a Trustee to represent District 7 on SECO’s Board of Trustees.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO’s service area is geographically divided into nine Districts. One Trustee is elected from each of the nine Districts to represent their fellow members on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the membership at large.

 

Trustee Kusiak submitted his letter of intent to run for Trustee in December and ran unopposed. Even though Mr. Kusiak was unopposed, SECO’s Bylaws require that the cooperative hold a District Meeting. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections as the cooperative continues to hold District Meetings as a means of electing Trustees. A drive-thru voting option was available for members to practice social distancing and to reduce the size of the indoor meeting.

 

A SECO member since 2002 who resides in Dunnellon, Mr. Kusiak was first elected to the Board at a special election in 2018. Trustee Kusiak has engaged in Board education certifications from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). He has completed the Credentialed Director Certification, the Board Leadership Certification and the Director Gold Program Certification. Mr. Kusiak also serves as a SECO representative on the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association board.

 

Trustee Kusiak is excited to continue his SECO Board service. Kusiak stated, “Thank you, District 7 members, for re-electing me to the SECO Energy Board. It is an honor to serve as your representative. I look forward to working with my Board peers to ensure SECO’s success for the future.”

 

Board president Richard Dennison stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Kusiak, on your re-election as District 7 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we look forward to continue working with you.”

 

Jim Duncan CEO stated, “Mr. Kusiak, I appreciate your willingness to serve as District 7 Trustee. I applaud your dedication to your neighboring members and to the success of SECO Energy.”

 

View our Board of Trustees page for a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Trustee Gerald Anderson Earns Board Leadership Certificate

SECO Energy congratulates District 3 Trustee Gerald Anderson on earning his Board Leadership Certificate (BLC) from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The BLC is the second part of the NRECA’s Director Education Program. Mr. Anderson currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer on SECO’s Board of Trustees.

 

According to the NRECA, directors/trustees seeking the BLC must first complete the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) certification. The BLC consists of a series of courses focusing in greater depth on specific industry and governance issues. These include issues such as risk management, power supply, parliamentary procedure, technology and policy development.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for an owned by its members. SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees consists of members who live in SECO’s service area. They are elected to oversee the governance of the cooperative. Each Trustee on the Board is elected by the members who reside in his/her District. Collectively, the Trustees are responsible for establishing, reviewing and revising corporate policies to ensure that SECO continues to preserve reliable, affordable service for all members.

 

Trustee Anderson who earned his CCD certification in November 2019 is proud to continue his education through the NRECA. Mr. Anderson stated, “I am excited to continue my NRECA Board education programs to better serve the members in District 3 and the SECO membership as a whole. The next step in my education plan is earning the Director Gold credential. It is an honor to serve on the SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees with my fellow elected cooperative members.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations, Trustee Anderson, on earning your Board Leadership Certificate. I am thankful for your Board service and willingness to serve as your District’s representative on the SECO Energy Board as in an officer role as Secretary/Treasurer.”

 

View our Board of Trustees page for a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Trustee Mike Muffett Earns Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate

SECO Energy congratulates District 6 Trustee Mike Muffett on earning his Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) Certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The CCD is the first part of the NRECA’s Director Education Program.

 

According to the NRECA, directors/trustees seeking the CCD certification must complete five courses that focus on basic cooperative governance and the essential skills required of cooperative directors/trustees. The CCD prepares directors/trustees to fulfill their fiduciary duty as elected officials serving on behalf of their membership. Upon completion of the five CCD required courses, directors/trustees are awarded the Credential Cooperative Director Certificate.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for an owned by its members. SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees consists of members who live in SECO’s service area. They are elected to oversee the governance of the cooperative. Each Trustee on the Board is elected by the members who reside in his/her District. Collectively, the Trustees are responsible for establishing, reviewing and revising corporate policies to ensure that SECO continues to preserve reliable, affordable service for all members.

 

Trustee Muffett is proud earn the Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate through the NRECA. Mr. Muffett stated, “I am proud to have completed the education requirement to earn the Credentialed Cooperative Director certification through the NRECA. I am extremely honored that the members of District 6 have put their trust in me to represent them on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees. I look forward to continuing my Board education through the NRECA.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations, Trustee Muffett, on earning your Credentialed Cooperative Director Certification. I am thankful for your Board service and willingness to serve as your District’s representative on the SECO Energy Board.”

 

View our Board of Trustees page for a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Trustee Joyce Anderson Earns Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate

SECO Energy congratulates District 2 Trustee Joyce Anderson on earning her Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) Certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The CCD is the first part of the NRECA’s Director Education Program.

 

According to the NRECA, directors/trustees seeking the CCD certification must complete five courses that focus on basic cooperative governance and the essential skills required of cooperative directors/trustees. The CCD prepares directors/trustees to fulfill their fiduciary duty as elected officials serving on behalf of their membership. Upon completion of the five CCD required courses, directors/trustees are awarded the Credential Cooperative Director Certificate.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for, and owned by its members. SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees consists of members who live in SECO’s service area. They are elected to oversee the governance of the cooperative. Each Trustee on the Board is elected by the members who reside in his/her District. Collectively, the Trustees are responsible for establishing, reviewing and revising corporate policies to ensure that SECO continues to preserve reliable, affordable service for all members.

 

Trustee Anderson is proud to represent her District on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. Mrs. Anderson stated, “I am excited to further pursue my Board education through the NRECA in order to fully represent the members in District 2. My former experience in the utility industry has prepared me for my role on SECO’s Board of Trustees. I am proud to complete the Credentialed Cooperative Director certification and look forward to continuing my Board education.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations, Trustee Anderson, on earning your Credentialed Cooperative Director certification. I am thankful for your Board service and willingness to serve as your District’s representative on the SECO Energy Board and to serve as one of our co-op’s representatives on the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association board.”

 

View our Board of Trustees page for a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Trustee Joseph Kusiak Earns Director Gold Credential

SECO Energy congratulates District 7 Trustee Joseph Kusiak on earning his Director Gold Credential (DGC) from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The DGC offers a continuing education path for directors/trustees beyond the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) and Board Leadership Certificate (BLC).

 

According to the NRECA, the DGC recognizes directors/trustees who desire a tangible credential that demonstrates their ongoing commitment to advancing their knowledge and performing their fiduciary duty to the best of their ability.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for, and owned by its members. SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees consists of members who live in SECO’s service area. They are elected to oversee the governance of the cooperative. Each Trustee on the Board is elected by the members who reside in his/her District. Collectively, the Trustees are responsible for establishing, reviewing and revising corporate policies to ensure that SECO continues to preserve reliable, affordable service for all members.

 

Trustee Kusiak completed the required education credits to earn both his CCD and BLC in November 2019 and is proud to complete the credits for the Director Gold Credential. Mr. Kusiak stated, “I am proud to have completed the education requirements to earn the Director Gold Credential from the NRECA. Serving on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and garnering the trust of the members in District 7 is an honorable and rewarding experience. I look forward to continuing my Board service and celebrating SECO’s future success.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations, Trustee Kusiak, on earning your Director Gold Credential and completing the NRECA’s director/trustee continuing education courses. I am thankful for your Board service and willingness to serve as your District’s representative on the SECO Energy Board and to serve as one of our co-op’s representatives on the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association board.”

 

View our Board of Trustees page for a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan Announces Retirement

After 43 years of service, SECO Energy’s CEO Jim Duncan announced his plans to retire in January 2022. Mr. Duncan conveyed his plans to the Board of Trustees at this month’s meeting during an executive session. The announcement comes as SECO Energy approaches its 83rd Annual Business Meeting of the Membership in March and as Mr. Duncan approaches his 75th birthday this coming August.

 

Mr. Duncan has served as the Chief Executive Officer of SECO Energy since 1990 and is one of the longest-serving CEOs in SECO Energy’s history. His career with SECO began in 1979 when he was hired as Director of Accounting and Finance at a time when the cooperative’s meter count was just 37,000. When Mr. Duncan was promoted to CEO in 1990, the cooperative served just 66,000 homes and businesses. Under Mr. Duncan’s purview, the cooperative reached the 100,000-meter milestone in 1999.

 

Much has changed in the last three decades with Mr. Duncan’s leadership. Reliability improved dramatically as Mr. Duncan recognized the need to invest in the cooperative’s infrastructure and strengthen a vegetation management program to promote the world-class delivery of reliable power. Under Mr. Duncan’s watchful financial eye, rates came down and the cooperative again became competitive in the Florida electric market.

 

In recent years, SECO Energy surpassed the 200,000-meter milestone and under Mr. Duncan’s leadership became a three-time J.D. Power award winner with scores topping those of all utilities in the nation in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2020, the cooperative upheld its title as an American Customer Satisfaction Index frontrunner in Florida and nationally with a score of 91. Without question, Mr. Duncan has built a legacy of customer-service focus that will remain strong long after his retirement next year.

 

Mr. Duncan and his wife Connie have been married for 53 years. They are avid boaters, travelers and University of Florida Gator fans. The couple has two grown sons and three grandchildren. Mr. Duncan stated, “Connie and I have spent the last few decades dividing our free time between Central Florida, St. Augustine, our home state of Tennessee and amazing scuba diving vacation spots. Though the timing of my retirement was a difficult and emotional decision, we know that it’s time to take the next steps to spend our golden years focused on fun and family.”

 

With 43 years of service, Mr. Duncan has devoted his life to the cooperative’s success for the benefit of its employees and members – he will be deeply missed. The Board of Trustees is in the process of identifying a recruiting firm to assist with finding Mr. Duncan’s replacement. Internal and external candidates will be considered.

 

This year’s Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 25, at 4:30 p.m. as a virtual webcast again this year as the COVID-cautious practices continue to protect employees, members and the continuity of electric service. Watch for your invitation to the virtual business meeting in your February or March billing statement.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Soars to a 91 in Latest ACSI

SECO Energy’s customer satisfaction scores reached a new high for 2020. The not-for-profit electric cooperative soared to 91 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rating that was measured as a part of SECO’s member satisfaction survey and calculated by ACSI. SECO’s score of 91 is a one-point increase over its 2019 score of 90.

 

The American Customer Satisfaction Index provides a one-of-a-kind, cross-industry measurement of customer satisfaction in the United States. Each year, the ACSI uses data from interviews with roughly 300,000 customers as inputs to an econometric model for analyzing customer satisfaction with more than 400 companies in 46 industries and 10 economic sectors. ACSI data has proven to be strongly related to several essential indicators of micro and macroeconomic performance.

 

At the end of 2020, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) conducted the membership survey on SECO Energy’s behalf that included the ACSI metrics at year end and contacted members by email to ask about their unique experience with the cooperative. Members rated SECO with an impressive ACSI score of 91, which is the highest score SECO has received since taking part in annual ACSI surveys since 2010.

 

SECO Energy’s ACSI score is tops when compared to average ACSI scores in the Energy Utilities Sector. The average ACSI score for energy utilities as an industry is down from 73 in 2019 to 72 in 2020. Nationally, cooperative utilities averaged 73 in 2020, which is 2 points lower than the 2019 cooperative average. Investor-owned utilities and municipal utilities scores averaged 72, both of which are 1 point lower than the 2019 average.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO Energy and our world-class employees excel in customer satisfaction. I am exceptionally proud of their service and dedication to our members and the communities we serve. When comparing our 2020 ACSI score of 91 to our industry peers and Fortune 500 companies, SECO is clearly a satisfaction frontrunner.”

 

Duncan added, “Thank you, members, for taking the time to respond and recognizing our employees’ efforts on your behalf. We are grateful for your approval and continued support.”

 

In recent years, SECO Energy has received national attention and three J.D. Power trophies for its exceptional customer satisfaction rankings. In the 2015 J.D. Power study, SECO Energy was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Midsize Utilities in the South.” And in 2016 and 2017, SECO was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Cooperatives.”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit our About page to learn more about the Central Florida not-for-profit electric cooperative.