Your Co-op

Your Co-op in Action

TCEC Employees volunteer over 1,000 hours in 2019

With the guidance and support of TCEC leadership, our employees have reached their goal of volunteering within the communities we serve for over 1,000 hours in 2019.

The employee volunteer program at TCEC empowers and encourages employees to volunteer and give back to their communities. Projects are scheduled throughout the year for employees to participate in. Employees can also choose projects of their own that are important or special to them.

Ways that we have been able to give and serve are community this year include building ramps, reading to local students, serving veterans, mentoring engineering and business classes on the high school and college level. Food drives, school supplies donations, road side clean up, and serving the game day dinner to our hometown sports teams are among some of the favorite activities for employees.

Strong partnerships with service organizations in our community are key to achieving this exciting goal. By working with organizations such as Ability 1st, Rotary, Kiwanis, Chambers of Commerce, and more, we are able to reach even more people.

Department Spotlight

Community Relations: Working for the Greater Good

Kaitlynn Culpepper launched her career at the co-op in 2014. Although new to the electric co-op industry, she was already a veteran in public relations. Using her previous experience working for a local sports publication, she hit the floor running, focusing on the management of a well-coordinated and sustainable community relations program for the co-op. She has worked to foster strong ties to the communities served by TCEC.
Cooperative Principle #9 “Commitment to Community” – Culpepper’s role at the co-op is specifically dedicated to helping TCEC fulfill its communications, community and public relations goals.

TCEC has learned being a good corporate citizen is not something that is done sporadically but rather something that is done consistently. The co-op is committed to being a good neighbor, along with a single goal of being responsive to its members concerns and welfare. Using her communication skills, Culpepper is often found in the local community familiarizing herself with our members and working to establish and maintain strong, professional relationships with business, key account and residential members.
Under the management of the Vice President of Corporate Services Stephanie Carroll, Culpepper is responsible for the development and implementation of marketing, energy management, economic development and communications programs to promote the Cooperative vision and difference. She makes the co-op’s legislative affairs one of her top priorities. Besides coordinating promotional appearances, member meetings and media interviews, she also oversees TCEC’s online presence including the website and social media.

As 2019 came to a close, TCEC employees volunteered more than 1,000 hours on community volunteer projects that ranged from collecting and donating school supplies to building ramps for members with mobility concerns. Culpepper manages the scheduling and orientation of employees for the dozens of volunteer activities carried out during the year.
Her role as Community Relations Director keeps her busy, but not too busy that she still doesn’t find time to involve herself in other activities to help promote her community. She is the Board Chair of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer of the Madison County Development Council, Vice President of Public Relations of the Mad Talkers Toastmaster Club in Madison and a member of North Florida Economic Development Partnership.

Born and raised in Valdosta, Georgia, after graduating from Lowndes High School Culpepper earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Speech Communication from Valdosta State University. In 2017, she earned the designation of Certified Cooperative Communicator  through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
Married to Jay Culpepper, she has two sons, Rigby (8) and Kade (4). When not working, she loves being home with her sons or traveling with her husband. Her children are involved in sports so she and her husband are often found on the ball field.
Culpepper loves her job and it shows. She admits she has a lot to learn about the electric utility industry and public relations, but from the outside it is hard to think she hasn’t already mastered her craft. She works hard and is passionate about her role as Community Relations Director at TCEC.