What's happening at your Co-op?

APRIL 23, 2008
SECO Announces $2,500 Scholarship Winners
Sumterville, FL – Jim Duncan, CEO of Sumter Electric Cooperative, today announced that 12 graduating seniors from SECO’s service territory have each won $2,500 scholarships from the Cooperative. According to Duncan, SECO’s scholarship program began in 1996 when the SECO Board of Trustees first approved it. Since then, including this year’s winners, SECO has awarded 160 scholarships to deserving high school seniors.

Duncan said, “With today’s high cost of a college education every dollar that can be dedicated to the pursuit of higher education is important. At SECO we’re very proud of the young people in our service territory and we hope that, following college, some of them will bring their new found skills and knowledge back to our area. We wish our scholars well as they pursue their academic endeavors.” This year 139 qualified applicants were evaluated based on their scholastic record, school and community service activities, and financial need.

The 12 SECO Scholars for 2008 are:

APRIL 17, 2008
SECO Testing Hybrid Technology
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) is testing a new plug and go vehicle to ascertain if hybrid vehicles will be practical for SECO’s fleet.

“At SECO the environment is important to us,” said SECO CEO Jim Duncan. “In fact, the Co-op has won a number of awards and notoriety for its environmental initiatives. So, it is only natural that we look at how hybrid vehicles might have a significant presence in our fleet.”
SECO’s new hybrid is a Toyota Prius with a twist. The standard Prius is not a plug-in vehicle, but SECO’s car has been retrofitted with a plug-in capability. And it employs the latest in lithium-ion battery technology.

“I believe that in the next five years we’ll see additional strides made in alternative energy type vehicles from many different manufacturers and we’ll be watching those developments closely here at SECO. We have a service territory of 2,000 square miles and 11,000 miles of power lines and other infrastructure. So, if we can gain on fuel mileage with some of our vehicles while we are serving our members, it will benefit everyone,” Duncan said.

The new lithium-ion battery technology allows the SECO hybrid prototype to get 100 miles per gallon or better. A123 Systems of Massachusetts has developed this higher energy battery cell for after-market installation in automotive products. Nanophosphate™ chemistry used in the cells provides higher energy density while retaining the high power capability necessary for sustained vehicle operation. It will be a year or two before these new battery cells are available in mass quantities for consumer purchases.
“We are excited about being able to test a vehicle that incorporates such promising new technology. It is also an opportunity to raise public awareness about hybrid vehicles and how they can help us reduce our dependence upon foreign oil and, in general, help the environment,” concluded Duncan.

MARCH 29, 2008
CEO's Keynote Address to Members attending Annual Meeting
Sumterville, FL – James P. Duncan, CEO – Saturday, March 29, 2008
...As I glance around the audience, I can assume that most of you are old enough to remember the Clint Eastwood movie, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” Today my comments will cover those categories but in a different order. I want to begin with the “Bad” followed by the “Ugly” and then conclude with the “Good.” And, as I begin the remarks I want to caveat them by saying that neither SECO nor I am anti-green, anti-Governor Crist, or anti-any other group of politicians. We simply have some concerns.

So, with that as a caveat, let’s start with the “Bad” — the status of electric energy in Florida and, in fact, in the nation. Some of my next few comments will come from the Annual Meeting address that Mr. Tim Woodbury, the CEO of Seminole Electric, made earlier this month at Seminole’s annual meeting.

Who would have expected that the chemical compound that humans exhale and which is required for sustainment of life would be treated like a pollutant? He’s talking about carbon dioxide or CO2.

Who would have expected at a time when this nation’s security is being challenged by fanatics and madmen that we would, as a nation, move to abandon our own plentiful coal resources and risk greater dependencies on those who seek to destroy us?

Who would have expected, at a time when this nation is struggling to compete in the global marketplace, that we would tie one hand behind our back by imposing additional economic hardship on consumers and producers by dramatically and artificially raising the cost of energy — the very thing which drives this country’s economic engine.

All of this mania about global warming will have two impacts on Florida’s and the nation’s electric consumers — dramatically higher prices and significantly less reliable service.

And if the prospects for carbon taxes or carbon caps related to global warming were not enough, the expected market conditions in oil, natural gas, coal and related transportation markets are creating significant pressure on producers.

That completes my acknowledged plagiarism of Mr. Woodbury’s comments and it certainly sets the stage for the remainder of my comments.

The general topic of global warming has become extremely emotional for a number of people and, in fact, is almost like religion for many. Due to the fervor created by the media and many politicians, the public has generally accepted as fact that CO2 — carbon dioxide — is the primary greenhouse gas causing this phenomenon and that the generation of electricity by coal is the main culprit.

It has become so widespread that any scientist who dares to dissent from these theories is deemed as unworthy of consideration — although there is certainly a place for reasonable debate. Our atmosphere is comprised of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, .9% argon and .1% greenhouse gases. The fact is that man-made greenhouse gas emissions account for less that one-half of one percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Actually, it is .054 percent of the GHG to be precise.

Also, please keep in mind that that is the total from all manmade sources with electric generation being a portion of that very small amount. Volcanos emit more GHG than man. Oceans are a major source of GHG. Unfortunately, you won’t see or hear any of this in Al Gore’s so called documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” or on the major media... Continue Reading HTML...      Read/Print PDF...

MARCH 21, 2008
Arbor Day Foundation Honors
Sumterville, FL – The national Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) as earning the Tree Line USA designation from the foundation. In order to receive the Tree Line USA designation utilities must meet three requirements: they must have a proven program of quality tree care, they must conduct annual training of employees in quality tree care practices, and they must have a tree planting and public education program.

The Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree Line USA program in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters.
John Rosenow, chief executive of the foundation, noted that trees are extremely beneficial in helping to clean the air and water. They also help conserve water and increase property values. He pointed out that Tree Line USA utilities bring their communities many environmental and economic benefits.

SECO CEO Jim Duncan said, “We are honored to have been designated a Tree Line USA utility. Proper tree care enhances our ability to deliver reliable electric power and insures that more beautiful trees will live on into the future. We are very proud of our tree program here at SECO and it is yet another example of this co-op’s concern for our environment and the creatures that share it with us.”
For additional data on SECO’s tree program interested persons can go to www.secoenergy.com and go to the drop down menu under the heading “environment” where there is a wealth of information for public consumption. SECO serves 164,000 members and their families in Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter, Levy, Pasco and Hernando counties.

FEBRUAry 13, 2008
SECO Announces Communication Enhancement
Sumterville, FL – SECO Announces Communication Enhancement Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative today announced yet another advance in its well regarded member/customer communications program. “Communicating with our members is an important part of what we do as a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative,” said SECO Director of Corporate Communications Barry Bowman. “In our most recent survey the SECO membership gave the Co-op’s efforts at keeping members informed a 4.34 score on a 5-point scale. That’s a very good score, but we are never happy with the status quo.” Bowman noted that SECO’s Internet site, customer newsletter, member e-newsletter and other communication mechanisms all work well. Full Story/Printable PDF...

FEBRUAry 11, 2008
SECO Members Grade Their Co-op
Sumterville, FL – SECO members recently got to voice their opinions on their Co-op’s performance during 2007. A comprehensive customer satisfaction telephone survey was conducted in late November and December and the results have now been tabulated. The bottom line is that the members gave the Co-op a great report card. The survey, conducted annually on behalf of SECO by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, lets SECO officials know what is on their member/consumers’ minds and how well they think their utility is being run. Barry Bowman, SECO Director of Corporate Communications, said, “A statistically valid sample of members in Marion, Lake, Citrus and Sumter counties was surveyed. Overall, members continue to think very highly of their cooperative with a mean overall satisfaction rating of 8.86 on a 10-point scale with seven in ten members giving ratings of 9 or 10.” Full Story/Printable PDF...

Right Tree in the Right Place
SECO Rolls Out New Web Feature
Have you ever wished you had information on what plants and trees do best in our Florida environment? Did you ever wonder how vegetation can have a positive impact on energy conservation? Well, the answer to these questions and more are featured on SECO’s latest addition to its award-winning Web site at www.secoenergy.com.

“Trees and other types of plants play a vital role in our lives and provide us with many unique benefits. With a little knowledge you can help conserve energy and improve electric system reliability simply by planting the right tree in the right place,” said Barry Bowman, SECO Director of Corporate Communications. He noted that many of the power outages in Florida are caused by trees or limbs falling into the power lines and the new Web addition fully explains how SECO goes about trying to lessen those occurrences through its vegetation management program. Other topics on the site include advice on how to use plantings to significantly reduce the power usage in the home, what types of trees are recommended for homeowners to plant... Full Story/Printable PDF...

SECO Employees Help Less Fortunate
Over $60,000 Donated to United Way Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) today announced that it has concluded its United Way Campaign and the Co-op’s employees have pledged a whopping $60,751 to help those less fortunate. SECO’s CEO Jim Duncan said, “By contributing to the United Way, we are looking out for the best interests of our family, friends and neighbors. Nearly everyone knows a person who has benefited from one of the many agencies United Way helps support.” SECO employees have designated their contributions to be distributed as follows:

Duncan noted that the local United Ways in SECO’s seven-county service territory do an exceptional job of meeting the needs of their respective communities supporting critical agencies, programs and services. “I am very proud of the commitment to our communities that SECO’s employees demonstrate virtually every day of the year. Giving to United Way is just one example of that community involvement,” Duncan concluded. Printable PDF...

SECO's Jim Duncan Receives “HUMANITARIAN AWARD”
Jim Duncan, CEO of Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO), has received the “Thomas E. Langley Humanitarian Award” presented by the Rural Florida Community Health Foundation for his “dedication and commitment to the improvement of the quality of life for the residents of Sumter County.” The award was given to Duncan during the Cracker Ball held at the Savannah Center on August 11, 2007. The annual event is a major fundraiser for the Thomas E. Langley Medical Center. Duncan was specifically cited for his role in creating the SECO Angel Fund which is the Co-op’s humanitarian fund to assist its member/customers who have found themselves in dire circumstances through no fault of their own due to health issues, job loss and a number of other problems.He was also lauded for his support of SECO’s Gatekeeper Program. ...Duncan said of the award, “I am deeply appreciative and humbled by this honor. I would be remiss, however, if I did not say that I think it speaks to the overall commitment the Co-op, its board of trustees and its employees have made ...” Full Story/Printable PDF...

How Green Is Your Home?
SECO Provides New Resource for Consumers
We are pleased to announce that we now have an affiliation with Energy Federation Incorporated (EFI).  EFI is one of the leading residential distributors of energy efficient products in the United States. Like SECO, EFI is a not-for-profit company whose mission is to help all of us to use energy more efficiently. SECO members can now order a wide range of energy saving products directly from EFI by going to SECO’s Web site at secoenergy.com and clicking on the Energy Efficiency Store icon pictured on the home page. An added bonus is the 10% discount EFI is providing SECO members if they enter the promotion code SECO10 when they check out. Full Story/Printable PDF...

SECO Receives National Recognition
Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) was honored with four different awards in the 2007 “Spotlight on Excellence” national recognition program sponsored by the Council of Rural Electric Communicators and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. SECO’s Department of Corporate Communications won a first-place Award of Excellence for its innovative e-newsletter for on-line co-op members and another first-place for best computer graphic design...  Full Story/Printable PDF ...

SECO Honored for Innovative Use of Technology
Receives Cooperative Innovators Award at Tech Advantage 2007
LAS VEGAS, NV – Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SECO Energy) located in Sumterville, FL, was honored today for its innovative use of technology to enhance service to its members. The co-op received a Cooperative Innovators Award at the Tech Advantage 2007 Conference & Expo, an annual event sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Mother Nature dealt the state of Florida a difficult ... Full Story/Printable PDF...

SECO CEO Receives National Award
Duncan Wins for Leadership in Communication
MARCO ISLAND, FLA. – James P. Duncan, chief executive officer of Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) has won the J. C. Brown CEO Communication Leadership Award conferred by the electric co-op industry’s Spotlight on Excellence Awards program. Duncan was recognized during the annual conference for co-op CEOs from across the nation held by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The award honors a CEO who advances communication in the electric cooperative industry. Only one such award is made each year to a CEO from one of the nearly 1,000 electric cooperatives across the country..." Full Story/Printable PDF...

SECO Is “A BEST PLACE TO WORK”
Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) was honored at the annual recognition ceremony acknowledging “The Best Places to Work in Lake and Sumter Counties” held at Mission Inn. SECO was named a best place to work for a private employer with more than 200 employees. CEO Jim Duncan said, “This is a significant accomplishment and the competition is tough... Full Story/Printable PDF...

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Page last updated: Thursday, May 8, 2008