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Touchstone Energy Cooperative, Inc. Touchstone
Energy is an Investment That's Paying Off
They
speak with Southern drawls, northeastern brogues and Minnesota accents. They
wear co-op uniforms, business suits and cowboy boots. Nationally, electric
cooperative employees are as diverse as the co-ops large and small that serve
rural Iowa, suburban Atlanta and coastal communities in South Carolina. Touchstone
Energy®, a branding initiative launched back in 1998, is achieving success at
drawing those diverse entities together—and making that collective electric
co-op voice stronger —to communicate the value of cooperatives to communities
and consumers. Touchstone
Energy, based in Arlington, Virginia can and is making a difference. Here's how:
Touchstone Energy's collective buying power for national advertising is
increasing the profile of electric cooperatives. In 2000, media placement
resulted in approximately 332.2 million impressions for national media buys and
that was reinforced with local and regional ads. Individually, our co-ops could
not have that impact.
Just as we band together through the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association to make our legislative voice resound here on Capitol Hill, it's
vital we pool our resources to put electric cooperatives on more peoples' radar
screens.
Touchstone Energy cooperatives have new tools to meet the needs of
commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers, thereby enhancing customer
loyalty. For example, on-line energy audits help businesses analyze current
energy use and make recommendations for
implementing energy-saving strategies. These tools are designed to build
customer satisfaction so that these businesses will remain co-op customers.
Touchstone Energy is attending industry trade shows and is forging
relationships with energy managers for national firms such MCI WorldCom,
American Express, Circuit City, Wendy's International and Wal-Mart. When those
firms expand or have the ability to choose their electric supplier, they'll know
about and value Touchstone Energy cooperatives.
Residential customers are benefiting through new services. An on-line
residential energy audit is available, and the Touchstone Energy Home program
helps residential consumers pinpoint opportunities to make their homes more
energy efficient and save money.
Through creative sponsorships, Touchstone Energy cooperatives are making
a difference in their communities. Arizona Touchstone Energy cooperatives
sponsored El Tour de Tucson, a bicycle race that raised more than $100,000 for a
children's hospice. Colorado Touchstone Energy co-ops raised money for St.
Jude's Children's Research Hospital, and Illinois member co-ops contributed to
Special Olympics. In Iowa, Touchstone Energy co-ops are donating weather
stations to schools, participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for
Life and even helping put up the lights at Little League fields.
Touchstone Energy is marshaling the troops to talk about the cooperative
advantage. A new employee learning program called "Ask Me About Touchstone
Energy" transforms each co-op's most valuable co-op asset its employees
into ambassadors. And customer service and sales training is being developed to
educate employees about the specifics of providing world-class service to local
electric co-op members. Support
for Touchstone Energy remains strong. More than 98 percent of member
cooperatives have renewed their commitment for 2001. In addition, affiliated
organizations such as the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance
Corporation, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, Federated Rural
Electric Insurance, and National Information Solutions Cooperative have recently
signed on, signaling their belief in the brand. It
takes years for customers to connect to a brand. But I feel deeply that a
sustained effort at communicating the four values of Touchstone
Energy—integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to
community—will position Touchstone Energy cooperatives as trusted energy
providers in Iowa and across the country. That will help our cooperatives to
thrive and grow. The
following “Cooperative Values and Principles” provide a distinct advantage
for Jasper-Newton Electric Cooperative, as a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, in a
competitive environment. These
values and principles are what set cooperatives apart from investor-owned
utilities. Touchstone Energy
Cooperatives, while adhering to all of the cooperative values and principles,
have also incorporated the 7th Principle, Concern for Community, into
their values as a commitment to community. Cooperative Values
INTEGRITY
ACCOUNTABILITY
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY
Cooperative Principles
1st
Principle: Voluntary and Open
Membership Cooperatives
are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and
willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social,
racial, political or religious discrimination. 2nd
Principle: Democratic Member
Control Cooperatives
are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively
participate in setting their polices and making decisions.
Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the
membership. In primary
cooperatives, members have equal voting rights – one member, one vote – and
cooperatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner. 3rd
Principle: Members’ Economic
Participation Members
contribute equally to, and democratically control, the capital of their
cooperative. At least part of that
capital is usually the common property of the cooperative.
They usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed
as a condition of the membership. Members
allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing the
cooperative, possibly by setting up the reserves, part of which at least would
be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the
cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership. 4th
Principle: Autonomy and
Independence Cooperatives
are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members.
If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including
governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that
ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative
autonomy. 5th
Principle: Education, Training and
Information Cooperatives
provide education and training for their members, elected representatives,
managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of
their cooperatives. They inform the
general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the
nature and benefits of cooperation. 6th
Principle: Cooperation among
Cooperatives Cooperatives
serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by
working together through local, regional, national, and international
structures. 7th
Principle: Concern for Community While
focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of
their communities through policies accepted by their members. Jasper-Newton
Electric Cooperative, Inc.
When
you see Touchstone Energy®, you know this is a locally |
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For Questions or Comments about this web site please email: Wiley Chapman.
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