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Members Re-elect District 5 Trustee Ray Vick

District 5 members gathered at Inverness Middle School on Thursday, February 21, to elect a member to represent their District on SECO’s Board of Trustees. The members elected Mr. Ray Vick who lives in Inverness and has been a SECO member since 1974. Mr. Vick was first elected to the Board in 1980.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO members who reside in the District elect one of their fellow members to serve a three-year term on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership at large. The Board meets 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 members.

 

In early February, Mr. Vick declared his continued willingness to serve the members in District 5 by submitting his letter of intent to run for Trustee. Joseph M. Judge of Inverness, Patricia A. Sandoval of Floral City and Chris L. Smith of Inverness also submitted letters of intent to run.

 

Trustee Vick stated, “Thank you, District 5 members, for re-electing me as your Trustee. I am humbly grateful for your long-standing trust in my service to SECO members. Serving on SECO’s Board is a rewarding experience, and I look forward to a new term.”

 

President Jerry Hatfield stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Vick, on your re-election as District 5 Trustee. SECO Energy is a fiscally responsible organization, and I know Mr. Vick takes his duties seriously in support of the members.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “First, I would like to thank the candidates from District 5 for their willingness to serve their fellow members on SECO’s Board of Trustees. It is gratifying to have such a strong show of support from members. Congratulations to Mr. Vick on his re-election.”

 

Duncan continued, “I hope members plan to attend our Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 23. We will be serving breakfast, coffee, soft drinks and snacks. Members can visit the Energy Showcase for energy-efficiency displays, enjoy live entertainment and enter for the chance to win door prizes. The grand prizes this year are a refurbished 2009 Ford SuperCab 4-wheel drive with less than 60,000 miles, a golf cart, cash and more. Read the upcoming March edition of SECO News for a full list of all door prizes.”

 

Visit the Board of Trustees page to view a photo and brief bio of SECO’s Trustees along with a District map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Florida Electric Cooperatives Association Honors SECO Trustee Vick

The Florida Electric Cooperatives Association (FECA) honored SECO Energy’s District 5 Trustee Ray Vick for his long-time service to FECA. Mr. Vick has worked closely with Florida’s statewide cooperative association and provided twenty years of guidance by serving on the FECA Board.

 

FECA presented Mr. Vick with a memento clock to show its gratitude for Mr. Vick’s years of service. The engraving reads, “Presented to Ray Vick In Recognition of Your Dedicated Service and Commitment to the FECA Board 1998 – 2018.”

 

Serving as District 5 Trustee since 1980, Mr. Vick resides in Inverness and became a SECO member in 1974. During his tenure, Mr. Vick has been an ardent supporter of the cooperative purpose and business model. Along with his Board peers, Mr. Vick is an integral component of SECO’s continued success.

 

Mr. Vick stated, “I would first like to thank Florida’s statewide association, FECA, for honoring my service. Serving millions of Florida cooperative members through my work over the last 20 years with the FECA Board has been very rewarding. I am particularly proud and humbled to have served my fellow SECO members by serving on SECO’s Board of Trustees for 38 years.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan thanked Mr. Vick for his FECA service, stating, “Trustee Vick has a long track record of working hard for energy consumers in Florida. With Mr. Vick’s FECA Board service and SECO Energy Board service, his commitment to Florida’s electric cooperative members is second to none. I’m grateful to Mr. Vick for his service and commitment to our members.”

 

Visit our Board of Trustees page for photos and brief bios of the Trustees along with an interactive District map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Ranked Highest in Customer Satisfaction for the Third Straight Year by J.D. Power

SECO Energy ranks highest in customer satisfaction among all electric cooperatives nationally according to the J.D. Power 2017 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study released yesterday.

 

This latest J.D. Power award is the third consecutive J.D. Power award for the not-for-profit electric cooperative that serves seven counties in Central Florida. In 2015, SECO was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Midsize Utilities in the South.” This year and in 2016, SECO Energy was named “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Cooperatives.”

 

The J.D. Power study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO Energy employees are the best of the best – our employees are the true winners of any award the cooperative receives. A special thank you to our employees, senior leadership and the Board of Trustees. Our people are the heart of SECO, and they make a difference for our members. This year’s J.D. Power award is a tangible representation of how SECO members feel about the cooperative as a whole. I am beyond delighted with our company’s Triple Crown. I am grateful and humbled by the praise and goodwill from our members.”

 

The Board of Trustees President, Ray Vick is proud to be a long-time Board member. Vick stated, “Member satisfaction is a top priority at SECO. On behalf of the Board, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the employees for their dedication to our members and the cooperative. We couldn’t be prouder of you and your accomplishments.”

 

This third J.D. Power award culminates a decade-long effort to increase reliability, maintain low rates and provide world-class customer service. SECO’s score of 789 is a 20-point increase over its 2016 ranking. SECO is proud to retain its title as “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Cooperatives.”

 

Learn more about SECO Energy on our About SECO page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Celebrates 2017 Scholarship Awardees

SECO Energy celebrated its 2017 SECO Scholarship program with a reception for the scholarship awardees and their families at its headquarters in Sumterville Monday evening. Twelve graduating high school seniors, who live in a home served by SECO, were awarded for their scholarly pursuits with a $3,000 scholarship to the university of their choice. All of the students have plans to attend a university in The Sunshine State.

 

SECO is proud to introduce its 2017 class of scholarship awardees who hail from Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties:

 

  •   Karla Michell DeAnda – North Marion High School – Marion County
  •   Amy Michele Folker – The Villages Charter High School – Sumter County
  •   Jordan Gangi – Lecanto High School – Citrus County
  •   Macey Marie Graham – Umatilla High School – Lake County
  •   Garret Thomas Heussner – Belleview High School – Marion County
  •   Summer Noel Hotz – Real Life Christian Academy – Lake County
  •   Daniel McNair – North Marion High School – Marion County
  •   Joaquin Isaiah Negron – The Villages Charter High School – Sumter County
  •   Sarah Rose O’Neill – Tavares High School – Lake County
  •   Hannah Lea Pendleton – Citrus High School – Citrus County
  •   Robert Reed – Dunnellon High School – Marion County
  •   Mikkala Shea Supancic – West Port High School – Marion County

 

SECO Celebrates 2017 Scholarship Awardees group picture

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is guided by the seven cooperative principles. Its scholarship program encompasses two of these principles – Concern for Community and Education, Training and Information. Providing financial support to local, young scholars beginning their education, prepares them as future potential SECO employees and community leaders.

 

Ray Vick, SECO’s Board of Trustees President stated, “I am very impressed with SECO’s 2017 scholarship awardees achievements. These young men and women are bright, ambitious and a credit to their communities. On behalf of myself and the Board, I wish them the very best as they begin fulfilling their dreams.”

 

Jim Duncan, CEO agrees, “SECO’s 2017 scholarship group is impressive. I hope some of the latest crop of scholarship awardees contact SECO after graduation or during their summer break for employment and internship opportunities. This summer, one of our 2016 scholarship winners, Megan Elliott, is returning to her hometown and interning in SECO’s Operations department. SECO is a centrally located, regional utility that offers high-paying careers along with an exceptional benefits package.”

 

Learn more about SECO’s scholarship program and additional community outreach programs. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Record Attendance at SECO’s 79th Annual Meeting of the Membership

Attendance boomed at SECO Energy’s 79th Annual Meeting of the Membership on Saturday, March 25. Thousands of members, guests, vendors and VIPs enjoyed hot breakfast biscuits, sweet treats, energy efficiency displays, live entertainment, gifts and a chance to win grand prizes and various door prizes. The weather was filled with trademark Florida sunshine and the springtime breeze kept everyone cool.

 

The Cooperative’s 79th Annual Meeting broke attendance records with a total of 4,539 registered members and their guests, compared to 3,100 registered members and guests in 2016. Additional parking areas were needed due to the increased attendance. The parking team was responsible for parking over 2,000 vehicles – 600 more than last year – along with 18 motorcycles and even one golf cart that came down US 301 in the wee morning hours.

 

Parking 2,000 vehicles over a three-hour period and providing shuttle service is complicated. Coordinating the exit of that many vehicles in less than an hour is no small feat either, but SECO appreciates its members’ patience with the exit traffic.

 

SECO Energy 79th Annual Meeting, Record Attendance at SECO's 79th Annual Meeting of the Membership

 

The crowd was well-fed with over 4,500 breakfast biscuits served. SECO kept the crowd lively with sweet treats and caffeine serving more than 10,500 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, 16,000 chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, along with 5,300 cups of coffee and almost 6,000 cans of soda.

 

Registered members received a copy of SECO’s 2016 Annual Report and a gift bag with two commemorative insulated steel tumblers. SECO and its wholesale power provider Seminole Electric distributed over 6,000 LED bulbs to members. Members won a total of 127 door prizes, many donated by local businesses and vendors that are also SECO members. Four cash prizes were up for grabs along with a refurbished Dodge Dakota truck and a refurbished electric golf cart.

 

Michael Niemiec from Inverness won the refurbished 2005 Dodge Dakota truck, Lake Panasoffkee’s Shannon Jessup was the winner of the refurbished electric golf cart from The Villages Golf Cars and The Villages resident Edward Maffuccio was the happy winner of the $1,500 cash prize. Other cash prize winners were Clark Smith from Webster who won $1,000 and Christine Bartow from The Villages and Edward James from Leesburg both won a $500 cash prize.

 

SECO Energy 79th Annual Meeting, Grand Prize winners

 

In the days leading up to the meeting and during, over 400 additional members “liked” SECO’s Facebook page and over 700 members interacted with the cooperative on Facebook during the meeting. These members were entered into a random drawing to win a $300 bill credit. Rosemary May of The Villages was the winner of the bill credit. Members who pledged a financial contribution to The Action Committee for Rural Electrification (ACRE) had a chance to win a patriotic picnic set. ACRE is a committee that funds candidates who support the interests of electric cooperatives such as SECO. Gloria Blackman of Tavares, one of 75 members who pledged to assist ACRE, was the winner of the patriotic picnic set.

 

Several of SECO’s vendor-partners were on hand to display their energy-saving products and services for interested members. SECO displayed its new Solar Life program – the hassel-free green choice alternative to individual rooftop solar. Six members signed up to have a portion of their utility-supplied power reduced by the output of four solar panels in Seminole Electric’s 8,000 panel solar array located in Hardee County.

 

SECO’s Solar Square array and its online production dashboard was also on display and accessible to members. The solar demo’s house replica displays a bi-directional meter for net metering, an inverter and a photovoltaic module on a simulated rooftop. Members interested in solar energy can use the Solar Estimator to help determine costs and output.

 

During his CEO Report, Jim Duncan asked members to consider enrolling in the Pennies from Heaven program that offers financial aid to local members. “SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program rounds up members bills to the nearest dollar. Currently, less than 8,000 members contribute to the program. If all 197,000 members enrolled in Pennies from Heaven, the yearly contribution would top $1.18 million. Imagine all of the good your pennies could contribute to in your communities if every SECO member enrolls in the program.”

 

Ray Vick, Board of Trustees President, stated, “I am personally asking all 197,000 members to consider contributing to Pennies from Heaven. With more members contributing, the collective pennies could fund local charitable organizations, purchase equipment for first responders, support school and youth programs, fund teacher endowments and many more worthy causes in SECO’s service area.”

 

Unfortunately, the record setting attendance created a small shortage in breakfast biscuits and Annual Report gift bags for about 100 members who arrived just before the business meeting began. SECO is in the process of identifying those members to provide an apology letter and gesture of goodwill.

 

The PowerPoint slides from Saturday’s Annual Meeting are posted online at www.secoenergy.com>YourCo-op. Video footage of the meeting will be posted on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter next week. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Fun, Food and Prizes at SECO’s 79th Annual Meeting

SECO Energy members are invited to spend a morning attending the cooperative’s 79th Annual Meeting of the Membership on Saturday, March 25. The meeting is held at the Annual Meeting Pavilion, located across the street from SECO’s corporate headquarters at the junction of highways 301 and 471 in Sumterville.

 

Arrive early and hungry. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. and SECO is serving breakfast. Dine on fresh sausage, egg and cheese breakfast biscuits, Krispy Kreme donuts and a variety of cookies. Sip a hot cup of coffee, enjoy a soda or water, and tap your feet or line dance to live country music hits by Margo Rochelle and Rodeo Drive.

 

Learn more about energy efficiency and savings by exploring this year’s Energy Showcase. Visit with vendors providing energy efficient ideas and products, or drop by the SECO information booth to ask a question or inquire about a SECO product or service. Just outside the Energy Showcase, take a few minutes to view a brand-new rooftop solar photovoltaic system and solar demonstration. Use the Solar Estimator to eyeball what your costs might be for a solar array at your home or business.

 

Members who attend receive a gift bag containing two commemorative insulated steel tumblers, 2016 Annual Report, and an LED bulb – along with other giveaways in the Energy Showcase. Upon registering, drop your door prize ticket in the prize barrel for the grand prize drawing which will include cash prizes, an electric golf cart, a refurbished Dodge Dakota pickup truck and many other door prizes – many of which are donated by local businesses that are also SECO members. The business meeting begins at 10:30 a.m. and the drawing for the grand prizes and door prizes takes place immediately after the business meeting ends – members must be present to win.

Fun, Food and Prizes

 

Stroll the grounds, look for our special characters, and find a member of SECO’s Facebook Help Squad to help you take and upload a photo. Members who “like” SECO’s Facebook page and interact online during the Annual Meeting, will be entered into a random drawing for a $300 bill credit. “Like” SECO Energy’s Facebook page before the meeting and find a Facebook Help Squad member during the meeting for assistance in entering the drawing for the $300 bill credit. Drawing for the Facebook bill credit takes place just before the business meeting begins – as with all of the prizes, the member must be present to win.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Mark your calendar and plan to attend SECO’s Annual Meeting. Enjoy breakfast on us, dance to the band, mingle with your neighbors and fellow members, determine new ways to lower your energy usage and maybe win a prize. Come out and experience the hospitality of SECO employees, which I believe is second to none.”

 

Ray Vick, Board of Trustees President, stated, “SECO’s Annual Meeting is the Board’s favorite event. Myself and my Trustee peers like to share SECO’s latest news and relish the chance to meet and get to know our fellow members. My fellow Trustees and I hope to see you there.”

 

Members should look for their personal invitation to the Meeting to arrive with their monthly energy bill between February 8 and March 10.

 

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

J.D. Power Ranks SECO Energy Highest

SECO Energy, a not-for-profit electric cooperative serving seven counties in Central Florida, ranks highest in customer satisfaction among all electric cooperatives nationally according to the J.D. Power Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study released today.

 

This is the second J.D. Power award earned by the cooperative. In 2015, SECO Energy was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Midsize Utilities in the South.” The J.D. Power study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.

 

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated “I am awed and inspired by the hard work and commitment to member satisfaction displayed by our Board, leadership team and employees. Whether front line or behind-the-scenes, every SECO employee’s goal is to provide the best service possible to members. From restoring power outages quickly and safely in triple-digit heat to personal interactions through our website, via social media, on the phone and in the field, SECO employees go the extra mile for our members.”

 

J.D. Power Ranks SECO Energy Highest

 

Board of Trustees President, Ray Vick is equally as proud. “As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is here for you, the member. Our employees are empowered to put members’ needs first. On behalf of the Board, I would like to congratulate the leaders and employees who touch members’ lives and make a difference in the communities we serve.”

 

Today, SECO Energy stands humbly as the electric cooperative with the highest customer satisfaction score in the nation. This year’s score of 769 in the cooperative segment is a 20-point increase over 2015’s score in the south regional among midsize providers. Electric cooperatives were placed in their own segment this year, and SECO is proud to be grouped with such tough competitors.

 

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