007: Turn Around, Don't Drown: Water Safety and Survival for Utility Workers
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
Release Date: 08/19/2025
019: 400 Letters and a Senate Victory: The Story of How Rural Co-ops Stopped a Regressive Tax (with John Cassady)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with John Cassady, CEO of Indiana Electric Cooperatives, to explore how one grassroots advocacy campaign stopped a regressive tax increase that would have blindsided rural communities, and what this fight reveals about defending people who don't know they need a champion. Most people don't spend their days reading legislative proposals or tracking tax code changes. They're working, raising families, trying to make ends meet. But while they're living their lives, decisions are being made at the statehouse that could dramatically...
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018: More Than Trees: How One Forester Saved a Life While Managing Vegetation (with David Formella)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with David Formella, utility forester at Southside Electric Cooperative in Virginia, to explore what happens when trees, power lines, and people intersect in unexpected ways. David brings a unique background to utility forestry: a degree in natural resource conservation from Virginia Tech, military service as a Marine, and experience as an EMT. When he arrived at Southside Electric, he discovered that being a utility forester means wearing countless hats, from vegetation management and storm restoration to emergency response and...
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017: The Unlikely AI Pioneer: How Dairyland Power Cooperative Made Artificial Intelligence into a Cooperative Advantage (with Nate Melby)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with Nate Melby, VP and Chief Information Officer at Dairyland Power Cooperative, to explore how an electric cooperative became an unlikely pioneer in artificial intelligence, and how that innovation is now spreading across the cooperative movement. When Nate arrived at Dairyland Power, a Generation and Transmission cooperative, he brought an unexpected background: a PhD in Information Systems and experience with deep learning research in academic laboratories. In 2018, while most industries were still experimenting with AI, Dairyland...
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016: Members as Energy Producers: Flathead Electric Cooperative's Net Metering Success Story (with Doug Gilmore)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with Doug Gilmore, Power Resources Manager at Flathead Electric Cooperative in Kalispell, Montana, to explore how one cooperative turned a complex challenge into an innovative opportunity. Flathead Electric serves one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Kalispell was recently voted the fastest-growing micropolitan city in the United States. In just five years, the cooperative added 8,300 meters while facing another challenge: members were asking to install their own solar systems and feed power back to the grid. The easy...
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015: The Nuclear Opportunity: How Wolverine Power Cooperative Seized an Unprecedented Moment (with Zach Anderson)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with Zach Anderson, Chief Operating Officer of Wolverine Power Cooperative, to discuss one of the most significant achievements in cooperative energy history: the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station. When Palisades entered decommissioning status, it seemed like a closed chapter. But Wolverine Power Cooperative and their partner Hoosier Energy saw something different: an unprecedented opportunity to secure carbon-free baseload power that could serve their members for decades. What followed was a bold move that had...
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014: Storytelling as a Bridge: How Hoosier Energy is Connecting the Next Generation to the Cooperative Difference (with Chad Mertz)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, hosts Pablo Fuentes and James Tanneberger sit down with Chad Mertz, Vice President of Strategic Communications at Hoosier Energy to explore the challenge facing the entire cooperative movement: communicating with the next generation. Chad dives into the creative solution that's changing how communities understand the difference co-ops make. Hoosier Energy is a Generation and Transmission cooperative, one of 45 G&T co-ops across the country that provide the backbone of power supply and transmission for member cooperatives like South Central...
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013: The Brotherhood Above: The Indiana Lineman Rodeo with Tommy Nance of Ninestar Connect and IEC
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, host Pablo Fuentes heads to the Hendricks County Fairgrounds to speak with Tommy Nance, VP of Operations at NineStar Connect, about the fourth annual Indiana Lineman Rodeo, an event born from a simple vision that has become a beacon for community for linemen across the state. Five years ago, during the height of COVID, Tommy and fellow cooperative leaders asked themselves an important question: what if Indiana's electric cooperatives created their own space where linemen could safely showcase their skills, network with peers, and let their families...
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012: 10,000 Pounds of Ice: How Great Lakes Energy Survived an Unprecedented Ice Storm (with Shaun Lamp)
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, host Pablo Fuentes sits down with Shaun Lamp, President and CEO of Great Lakes Energy, to hear firsthand accounts of how crews and community members responded to one of Michigan's most devastating natural disasters in recent memory. When a once-in-a-century ice storm struck in March 2025, Great Lakes Energy's 14,000-mile system faced unprecedented challenges. With up to three inches of ice coating their infrastructure (six times more than design specifications), lineworkers didn't just restore power, they became first...
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011: Box? What Box? How Co-Ops Think Outside Traditional Boundaries
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this forward-thinking episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, hosts Pablo Fuentes (CEO of Bloom Spatial) and James Tanneberger (CEO of South Central Indiana REMC) explore what makes electric cooperatives uniquely positioned to innovate and push boundaries that investor-owned utilities often cannot. James explains how his perception of electric cooperatives completely changed when he entered the industry eight years ago. Rather than the "sleepy organizations" he imagined, he discovered dynamic institutions driven by a single mission: improve the lives of our members. This mission, combined...
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010: The Hooded Llama Award: Tales from Vegetation Management Heroes
Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators
In this special roundtable episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with five co-op vegetation management leaders at the Trees and Utilities Show in Knoxville, Tennessee. Each person shared a story about the heroic actions and the community impact of their vegetation management team. Featured Guests: Anthony Lindfors - Matanuska Electric Association (Alaska) Cindy Musick - Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (Virginia) Kevin Perkins - CORE Electric Cooperative (Colorado) Amanda Opp - Flathead Electric Cooperative (Montana) Jeff Wissing - Holy Cross Energy (Colorado) Stories Shared:...
info_outlineIn this sobering episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, hosts Pablo Fuentes (CEO of Bloom Spatial) and James Tanneberger (CEO of South Central Indiana REMC) share a harrowing story that illustrates why water safety is a critical concern for utility workers.
James recounts a near-tragic incident from his time in Texas, where two substation maintenance workers faced a life-threatening situation during the aftermath of a tornado. When one employee received a panicked call from his wife about a tornado hitting their neighborhood, the crew's urgent attempt to return home led them into a flooded low-water crossing. What seemed like a manageable situation quickly turned dangerous when their truck became a boat in rising floodwater.
Key lessons covered:
- How quickly water conditions can change during severe weather
- Why vehicle size doesn't matter when water reaches the frame
- The critical decisions that saved two lives during a flash flood rescue
- The importance of calling 911 immediately rather than supervisors
- How moving water's power can be deadly even for strong swimmers
Safety insights: The episode explores the deceptive nature of floodwater and why "turn around, don't drown" isn't just a catchy slogan, it's a life-saving principle. James shares additional stories from Texas flooding events and discusses how cooperatives are partnering with local communities to improve severe weather preparedness, including expanding tornado warning systems.
Technology and prevention: The conversation touches on emerging technologies for natural disaster management, including fiber optic sensing and improved weather awareness systems that help utilities and communities prepare for severe weather events.
This episode serves as both a compelling rescue story and an important safety reminder for anyone who works outdoors or lives in areas prone to flooding. The emphasis on weather awareness and community preparedness makes this essential listening for utility workers and rural residents alike.