Manager Articles

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

MARCH 2026

Built on membership, strengthened by participation

As we continue through our 90th year as a cooperative, it’s a good time to reflect on what truly sets Darke Rural Electric Cooperative apart. For nine decades, our success hasn’t been measured by profits or shareholders — it has been measured by service, reliability, and the strength of our membership. 

Darke REC operates under a cooperative model, which means our members are also our owners. That structure shapes every decision we make. We don’t answer to outside investors or distant corporate offices. Instead, we are locally governed by trustees who live in the communities we serve and are elected by the membership. Our responsibility is, and has always been, to act in the best interest of our members both today and for the long term. 

One way that member-focused approach is showing up this year is through our 90 Days of Giving initiative. This year-long effort is a simple but meaningful way to say “thank you” to the members who make this cooperative possible. Through bill credits, community involvement, and continued support of local organizations, 90 Days of Giving reflects what it means to be a cooperative — returning value to the people we serve rather than to investors. 

While programs like this are visible examples of the cooperative difference, the foundation of member ownership is best reflected in our 89th Annual Meeting, scheduled for March 26 at Romer’s Catering in Greenville. 

The annual meeting is an opportunity for members to come together, hear directly from cooperative leadership, review the cooperative’s financial performance, and learn about the work being done on their behalf. It is also where the results of the trustee election are formally announced, reinforcing the importance of member participation in cooperative governance. 

At a time when many services are becoming more centralized and less personal, the cooperative model remains rooted in local control and accountability. Member engagement, whether through programs like 90 Days of Giving or by attending the annual meeting, helps ensure Darke REC continues to operate with transparency, responsibility, and a strong connection to the community. 

As we look ahead, I encourage you to join us on March 26. Your involvement is what has sustained this cooperative for nearly 90 years, and it will continue to guide us as we move forward together.