It's almost that time of year again, ladies and gentlemen! Santee Electric will be holding its annual meeting of the membership Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at Kingstree High School, and I am very excited about this event.

Now, annual meetings are always a lot of fun for me.  I have been attending them for years. They have somewhat of a fair-like atmosphere. It is a chance to see people you have not seen all year. There are vendors serving food. There are prizes! But most important - the employees and board get a chance to interact with the membership.

Of course, this meeting will be particularly special to me because it will be the first one I get to attend as the president of this great cooperative. I already know our people have the best food in the state, so I'm guessing you hold the best annual meeting too! I am really looking forward to seeing you all.

Beyond the food and prizes, the annual meeting has an even deeper meeting. This really is at the heart of what separates us from our investor-owned utility counterparts. The title itself - meeting of the membership - is special. An electric cooperative is unique in that you own the company, you approve the bylaws, and you select the board that sets policy governing the cooperative. Santee Electric is not governed by some set of stockholders in a big city hundreds of miles away. It is governed by you - the membership. This special day that we set aside each spring is a day for us to enjoy this great system that was put into place over 75 years ago.

Just in case I have not convinced you to attend based solely on fulfilling your duty as an owner in this great organization, here are some other reasons. Every member who registers gets a bill credit and a registration gift that I think you will be very pleased with! In addition to that, there are the larger prize drawings leading up to the grand prize. Someone is going to win a truck! You do not have to be present to win, but you do have to register.

Your board of trustees, the dedicated employees of SEC, and I would all be delighted to spend this day with you this year. Please join me in praying for good weather and safe travels for all of you. I look forward to seeing you in Kingstree, and wish you all good luck in the prize drawings!

Robert G. Ardis III
President and Chief Executive Officer