Co-op Conversations With DEMCO

In this episode of Co-op Conversations with DEMCO, host David Latona sits down with Chief Corporate Services Officer Russchelle Overhultz to explore the many careers at DEMCO, from engineering and operations to finance, technology, member services and more. Russchelle also shares her own career journey and talks about the different paths that can lead to DEMCO, opportunities to learn and grow, and what makes someone a good fit for a cooperative career.

In this episode of Co-op Conversations with DEMCO, David Latona sits down with Eric Ouber, Manager of System Operations, for a behind-the-scenes look at how DEMCO prepares for severe weather long before the first raindrop falls.Learn how the cooperative monitors storms, activates its Emergency Response Plan, coordinates crews and contractors, and uses advanced technology to track outages and restore power as safely and efficiently as possible. Eric also answers some of the questions members ask most during major weather events, including why crews may appear to drive past outages, how restoration priorities are determined, and what happens inside DEMCO's Control Center during a storm.Whether you're preparing for hurricane season or simply curious about how power is restored, this episode offers an inside look at the planning, teamwork, and technology that help keep the lights on for more than 120,000 DEMCO members.

In this episode of Co-op Conversations with DEMCO, host David Latona sits down with Chief Financial Officer Peggy Maranan to discuss how DEMCO manages costs, pursues competitive grant funding, and invests in the long-term reliability of the electric system.Learn how a recently awarded $3.3 million vegetation management project—supported by more than $2.2 million in federal and state funding—will help strengthen the electric system while reducing costs that would otherwise be shared by DEMCO's member-owners.Peggy also explains how DEMCO's not-for-profit cooperative business model guides financial decisions, why vegetation management is one of the most important investments in system reliability, and how securing outside funding helps preserve resources for additional reliability improvements across the communities we serve.

In this episode of Co-op Conversations with DEMCO, David Latona sits down with Carl Westbrook, GIS Manager, and Dusty Guarino, GIS Specialist, to discuss how DEMCO manages and maintains the digital map of its entire electrical system. From power lines and poles to transformers and meters, the GIS team works behind the scenes to ensure the system accurately reflects what’s happening in the field. Learn how accurate mapping improves operational efficiency, supports faster outage response, strengthens storm restoration efforts, and helps DEMCO deliver reliable service to members every day.

In this episode of Co-op Conversations with DEMCO, we’re joined by linemen Michael Welborn and serviceman Ashton to explain how capacitor banks help keep your power steady and reliable, what our crews look for during systemwide inspections, and how devices like reclosers work to protect the grid.You’ll also learn how to tell the difference between an issue inside your home and something on our system—and we break down what’s normal, what’s not, and when to give us a call.