Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Welcome to the Buzz, a podcast by Boon Electra Cooperative. The Buzz is a monthly message to our community celebrating what it means to be a member owner of your local electric cooperative, Boon Electric Cooperative, your co op, our community.
[00:00:23] Speaker A: Welcome back to the Bikes. I'm Zach Smith, communications specialist at Boom Electric Cooperative. Today, once again, we're taking a deeper dive behind the front page of Plugged in to speak with Boone Electric Cooperative Director, Caroline Andriano. Caroline, welcome back to the program.
[00:00:37] Speaker C: Thank you, Zach. I'm glad to be here.
[00:00:39] Speaker A: And normally when a member of the board is in the studio, they're exclusively wearing the cooperative director hat, but that's not anybody's full time occupation. So tell us, what other hats do you wear?
[00:00:52] Speaker C: So I have multiple. But my day job is leading an HR team for a marketing and media agency. I have a really strong team of recruiters, benefits and payroll administrators, and we support just under a thousand employees. I've been there since 2012 and enjoyed the growth of our company. I've been in human resources since I graduated college and I don't need to share that year.
[00:01:19] Speaker A: Fair enough.
You are a native Missourian, if I remember correctly.
[00:01:24] Speaker C: I am. I was born and raised for the majority of my life in South Missouri.
And then I did take a trip to the University of Arkansas to go to college. Traveled a little bit more after that, and then I came home when we had our daughter.
[00:01:40] Speaker A: Where was home prior to.
Prior to here?
[00:01:43] Speaker C: Well, that gets a little complicated.
[00:01:45] Speaker A: Okay, fair enough.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: I. My high school years were at South Callaway in McCain, so I would say that was my last couple of years.
[00:01:54] Speaker A: Okay. And is you. I'm saying it because you used it on the last episode. Is Farmer Steve from this area originally or is he from somewhere else in Missouri?
[00:02:04] Speaker C: Farmer Steve is born, raised and loves Missouri. He grew up near St. Joe. He's been in Columbia for a very long time, calls it home. And he is Mizzou Tiger proud.
[00:02:18] Speaker A: Obviously you all call this area home now because you're a Boat Electric Cooperative member and board director. So how long have you been a member of the cooperative?
[00:02:26] Speaker C: So Farmer Steve was actually a member before me and I became a member as well in 2008.
[00:02:34] Speaker A: What made you want to get more involved in the cooperative? I know we kind of spoke about that a little bit on the last episode, you know, when you were interviewed by the nominating committee and were on the ballot and ultimately elected last year. But what started that journey towards wanting to learn more about what an electric cooperative is?
[00:02:52] Speaker C: You know, I would have to Say it was based off Boone Electric employees.
Everything has been very positive about them. Boone Electric as a company has been positive, and I wanted to learn what it meant to be on a board and how I could give back in my skill set of human resources. And I was cautiously jumping into volunteering more in my life. And so when I did the research, I felt really strongly about Boon Electricity. I do recognize there's a big learning curve with the actual industry, and I think everyone here has been wonderful and patient with that, but I think hopefully I bring enough to the table to balance that.
[00:03:31] Speaker A: Speaking of bringing enough to the table, you weren't unfamiliar with volunteer work, nonprofits, not for profits. Before being elected to the board. What are some of the other organizations that you've worked with?
[00:03:43] Speaker C: We raised both of our girls going through Catholic school. So if you're involved in a Catholic school as a parent, you volunteer from everything from the lunchroom to snack mom for the track meets. Once I was no longer needed in that role, our girls moved on. I got involved in Central Missouri Honor Flight, and I was able to join on five missions with the vets.
And I also have helped with four Columbia, which is made up of churches, Christian organizations here in Columbia that give back on one day of the year in helping the community. And it can be anything from pulling weeds to organizing someone's home to doing some deep cleaning for those that are challenged and can't get around in their apartment. So anything that I can do to help others within my scope, I like to do. I feel better about it. I always walk away going, yeah, that was a great way to spend my day, and I hope I made a difference.
[00:04:42] Speaker A: You wear another hat, too, along with your husband, because you guys have a very interesting business where you live. Tell us a little bit about that.
[00:04:51] Speaker C: So we do. We have a little niche Blueberry U Pick Farm. It is organic. It's something that my husband started back in 2010 or 11, and we planted 800 plants. I know our daughters laugh because I would say they basically planted 800 plants.
But it's something that we were able to do as a family and kind of grow the business, get to know the community, get to know our neighbors. It's something that my husband is very passionate about. He's done a great job with. I help a little bit with the social media or marketing side of it, but really it's something that is getting to know your neighbor. Blueberries make everybody happy, and it's a good experience. So it really is. It's a fun, fun adventure. For all of us.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: I don't know anybody who doesn't like blueberries, but I'm cur. And maybe it's a question for farmer Steve, but why? Why was it blueberries? Why not something else?
[00:05:47] Speaker C: You know, he is an engineer by education and trade, and so he researched different opportunities and he kept going back to the blueberry. And very much with what you said, we couldn't find anyone who doesn't like a blueberry.
[00:06:01] Speaker A: I don't know if they exist.
[00:06:02] Speaker C: I don't. And there usually isn't an allergy to a blueberry.
[00:06:06] Speaker A: And.
[00:06:07] Speaker C: And based on the soil on our farm that we had tested through the university, it came back and everything aligned. And he said, let's give it a try.
[00:06:16] Speaker A: I know that the last year has been pretty busy. As a new board member, you mentioned earlier, there is a big learning curve in the industry, and I think that goes for probably all of us, whatever role we serve when we first start out. Because I know for me, the electric cooperative where I grew up, it was like, oh, that's where we pay the power bill. And that was kind of all I knew about it before working for one. So for you as a board member, the learning curve, that's probably putting it lightly because in addition to the monthly board meetings and all the events that we hold here at the cooperative, you're undertaking a lot of different training in this role. Can you tell us a little bit about that process?
[00:06:53] Speaker C: Whenever I came onto the board, I had one idea of what it meant to be a director on a board, and I wanted to attend the classes so that I could validate that. And I quickly learned that what I had in my mind, what a director could offer was really different than what a director should do. And those classes really helped with that. I came in thinking that my human resources and finance background could really be useful to the department heads.
And I learned that one here at Boone Electric, department heads are very knowledgeable. They know what they're doing. And so I would come up with an idea and they say, hey, we've thought about that, or that's great, but here's something we've done in conjunction with it. Highly respect all of them. And then through the classes, it validated where I could put my energy. And it was as a governing body to make sure overall that Boone Electric is being true to what they're supposed to do for the members.
It's not for me to be in the weeds, to be engaged too far in there, and it's more of an oversight. And I Find that understanding helpful.
I didn't come in with an agenda of wanting to bring something to Boone Electric that they didn't have or to push electric cars or solar power or anything like that. I wanted to give, and I want to give in the right way. And again, every board meeting, when the department heads come in, they are so very knowledgeable of what they do within their department. I want to help support them and help support the employees on the board in the best way possible.
[00:08:39] Speaker A: Those of you on the board are really what makes the cooperative difference in a lot of ways. It's one thing to talk about transparency and improving the quality of life for the members, but those of you who are on the board make sure that that's being done to the, you know, degree that the members want. It's an important role to fill. I'm sure it's. It involves a lot of commitment on your part and obviously dedication to go to all those different trainings and meetings and see how all the different pieces fit together.
[00:09:09] Speaker C: You know, it does. And it was something that during the interview process, they did try to communicate to make sure, because I do work full time and. And I have the support of where I work full time during the day for this commitment. But it also was something that we, as a family, needed to decide if I could carve out that time. I will tell you that, you know, we get board packets a week before the board meeting, and we look through that material. And it does take me a few times reading through it to make sure that I process all of the information and that I can come to the board meeting informed and be able to participate.
Something else that I really appreciate is at the board meetings, each of the department heads has a report that they've submitted on what the department has done for that month.
It does help communicate what's going on within the organization.
And I've taken a lot of those things back to my organization saying, how can I improve what I'm doing with my job and with my team? So a lot I've learned in this process has come from Boone Electric and the department heads and staff.
[00:10:14] Speaker A: What are some of the major topics or trends that the board is discussing right now? I can guess, probably guess what at least one of them is as far as reliability.
[00:10:23] Speaker C: Absolutely.
Reliability, AI data centers, and cost.
So those things are on the table every time we meet, and those are very heavy topics. They take a lot of research, they take a lot of thought, and, you know, they definitely guide a lot of the decisions that we make.
[00:10:43] Speaker A: And they're changing every time you meet, I'm sure.
[00:10:45] Speaker C: Oh, they're changing daily for sure.
[00:10:48] Speaker A: Yes to you.
What is that cooperative difference?
[00:10:54] Speaker C: I think it starts with having a basic utility and understanding that if you don't like something about that basic utility, if you don't like your cable or satellite service, you can call customer service and you can be cranky on the phone with them, but it's not going to make a difference, it's not going to change it at all. But when you're a member of the co op, if there's something that you feel strongly about, you can engage and look more into it and have a voice and have a vote on that. And that's something I think makes it a big difference. Not every organization is set up that way.
So if you have that opportunity, if you look at it and you say as a member, I feel that this is the right path, I think find out more about it. And Boone Electric has been awesome about sharing information, giving you the background or the history on something and then you can learn in the process and decide if your voice is correct, if it does need to be heard, and then you can vote at the annual meeting.
[00:11:53] Speaker A: You talked about AI in data centers earlier being something that you all revisit frequently as a topic in the board meetings. And I know even I feel this way sometimes. The more technology based, the more services and things are kind of a faceless corporation. When you have a complaint, when you have an issue, you try to get some satisfaction. You try to get an issue resolved and you kind of just meet this blank wall of chat box on a website and who knows if you're talking to a real person on the other end of it and if your problem is going to get solved. And the Cooperative, I feel like is one of the few places where you don't run into that. I'm always amazed when I actually talk to a person in customer service. And that's what you get anytime you have an issue here. And I think that was very apparent when we've had a couple different events this year down in Lakeside, Ashland here at the Cooperative. And we had the food truck event back in June and I saw you talking to members while we're all standing around waiting for food, just catching up or whatever. You don't have that experience with any other company you pay a bill to.
[00:13:01] Speaker C: It's. It's completely different. That brings me back to why I ran in the first place. And when I went through the process of putting myself out there to serve as a director, members Are my friends, members are my neighbors. You know, whether it's someone who I sat in the stands with at track meets for my kids, or if it's someone that I play pickleball with out on the courts, you know, we're all in this together. We're all neighbors, we're friends. We all have the same concerns. We want to have reliable power to our homes. We want to keep it affordable. We also want to reach out and help the community. I know there's a lot of outreach things that Boone Electric does as well, and I think we just all want to participate in that. And so, you know, definitely there's going to be times where members will ask questions, and I can tell them honestly, either I don't know or I can't share about that, but that's something I can take back to the board. But know that Boone Electric is thinking about their members first and foremost. And, you know, Zach, I think you nailed it earlier whenever you talked about having the experience with customer service.
And I have had the experience where I was passed through and passed through to someone, and in the end, they followed up with an email and said, sorry, we can't help you and your tickets closed. But I will tell you here at Boone Electric, every time I walked through that door and came up to someone at one of the windows and, you know, asked a simple question about the hot water rebates program or if it was the energy efficiency program, whatever it was, I was treated with kindness and respect, patience, and it was resolved or more information given to me. And I don't think they would let you leave the building frustrated. I just don't think that's in their handbook or who they are as a person. And I appreciate that. And truly, I think others could learn from that.
[00:14:56] Speaker A: Somebody has an answer.
[00:14:57] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:14:59] Speaker A: And you don't get, like you said, you don't get the ticket closed and then immediately get the auto send email. Hey, mind filling out the survey about your terrible customer service experience that we just gave you? You talked a little bit about understanding where your best fit was as a board member.
And I know that our board, board members, all of you, undergo a lot of different kinds of training. Our industry, especially through nreca, has an extensive certification program for directors so that they can be as knowledgeable as possible when they're sitting at the table.
Is there anything from those programs that jumps out at you that was new or that made you appreciate or understand the cooperative Electric cooperative system differently?
[00:15:43] Speaker C: You know, I am still so very new that I took the first Five classes to get the first certification that a board member should get.
So it's one of those things that if you know me, I tend to make a commitment and then jump in, and I want to learn as much as I can in the very beginning so that I can add value. So for me, those first five courses were pretty intense.
And I've never been in an environment where there was a board that governed my employment. So, you know, I've been in. In every role within an organization, all the way up to the leadership that I have now. But my organization had a president, and it stopped at the president.
So I was forming my own opinion of what a board of directors would do. And, you know, some of it was true, and some of it was way off the mark. And I was very impressed with all the courses that I took that not only did they give you the background on how co ops were formed, why they were formed, why the board of directors was formed to be a part of that, and what their role is at the end or throughout the class, actually, they would always open it up to questions. And within that environment, we, as newbies, as we recalled, felt very comfortable in that space to say, is this what we should be doing?
What about in this scenario? And we were able to apply real situations, get some feedback on what the board actually does and, you know, the value that it adds. I felt comfort in that. And I really appreciate that. Boone Electric as a whole supports that and really wants that for each of the directors. A couple takeaways, though, from that as well, is that not all co ops require directors to go through that educational process.
They encourage it, but they don't necessarily support it. And everyone in that room that was taking that class said, you know, this isn't really necessarily what I thought I'd be doing at this stage of my life, is taking some hard classes, but I think it's best for the co op, and I have to agree with that. So I do appreciate that learning curve. And the other takeaway I learned is Boone Electric is doing things really, really well. So when I'd ask questions or hear others in the class, ask some questions, I would make notes, come back and ask our board. And everything that was suggested as best practice is what we're doing.
Which further confirmed why I'm so thankful that I took this opportunity for my next volunteer time to be with Boone Electric.
[00:18:19] Speaker A: Well, and you really jumped in feet first, because five of those classes in one year is a lot.
[00:18:24] Speaker C: Not to correct you, Zach, but it was five classes from September to March.
[00:18:29] Speaker A: Okay, so five classes in half of a year is a lot. Yes, end of that. But one of the great things about those training programs that I found isn't even just the material or the instructors, which are also great. But we have this saying in the cooperative industry, you've been to one co op, you've been to one co op, but you attend one co op meeting or event or training like that, and all of a sudden your resource network of people you can talk to about whatever's going on and figure out those best practices grows exponentially.
[00:18:59] Speaker C: Absolutely. I quickly formed a network with other new directors and established directors, which was very, very helpful. And I think the expression, you've been to one co op, you've been to one co op. I didn't really know what that meant, I'll be honest with you. So the more I processed it in my head, I thought, you know, I get it now because each co op is unique. And I don't think people typically understand what that means until you get into a room and you talk and share with other co op directors. And there's a lot to be gained from sharing those ideas so you can grow. But again, Boone Electric is Boone Electricity.
[00:19:38] Speaker A: Well, when Joel was on a few months ago, we joked, and I know this is everybody's favorite thing to do, spend 20 minutes in the hot seat answering questions about themselves. But I do appreciate you making time to give us your perspective. I think it paints a better picture of. For the people, not only of what the cooperative is, but who the people are that make it up, like yourself. And so thank you for joining us again, Caroline. Really appreciate it.
[00:19:59] Speaker C: Thank you for having me.
[00:20:01] Speaker A: And thank you for joining us as well in today's episode. Be sure to come back next month, and until then, we'll see you somewhere down the line.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: Thank you for tuning in to the Buzz, a podcast by Boone Electric Cooperative. To subscribe or for more information, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram X and LinkedIn. And of course, you can always visit us 24, 7@BooElectric Co Op, Boone Electric Cooperative, your co op, our community.
[00:20:31] Speaker A: Sam.
