Sep 17, 2026 · 12 min · 8 segments
In the first episode of Beyond the Lines, we take a closer look at the partnerships that help power United Electric Cooperative and the communities we serve. Providing reliable, affordable…
United is a cooperative.
A cooperative business model is one in which the members who use the product own the company that provides the product.
So the electric members of United own the cooperative.
This means you as a member Vote on the board and the bylaws that govern your cooperative.
It also means that all profits brought in by United Electric Cooperative are allocated back to our members and eventually returned to the people who own it, you.
It's the base model of country people doing what we do, taking care of ourselves.
So at some point in the future, we'll go into more detail about how we allocate the excess margins into capital credits and how that gets back to you.
But just know for now, whatever United Electric makes is eventually returned to the members.
United Electric Corruptive owns a subsidiary called United Fiber.
United Fiber is its own company.
United Fiber is a for-profit, taxable entity, while United Electric is a not-for-profit, taxable entity.
United Fiber operates in a way that generates margins that come back to United Electric and eventually to the members of the United Electric Cooperative, you the member owner.
Your cooperative is governed by 12 board members elected by the membership each year at the annual meeting.
Each year, four directors are up for election.
A nominating committee made up of members totally different than the board and has no contact with the board comes up with the candidates who run for the election.
This year's nominating committee always appoints the next year's nominating committee, so you can be assured the election is fair.
The nominating committee has to be made of members of United Electric Cooperative who are not on the board or closely tied to a board member.
In this way, we ensure adequate democratic representation of the members.
It's a great system that's done us well over the years.
United is a cooperative.
A cooperative business model is one in which the members who use the product own the company that provides the product.
So the electric members of United own the cooperative.
This means you as a member Vote on the board and the bylaws that govern your cooperative.
It also means that all profits brought in by United Electric Cooperative are allocated back to our members and eventually returned to the people who own it, you.
It's the base model of country people doing what we do, taking care of ourselves.
So at some point in the future, we'll go into more detail about how we allocate the excess margins into capital credits and how that gets back to you.
But just know for now, whatever United Electric makes is eventually returned to the members.
United Electric Corruptive owns a subsidiary called United Fiber.
United Fiber is its own company.
United Fiber is a for-profit, taxable entity, while United Electric is a not-for-profit, taxable entity.
United Fiber operates in a way that generates margins that come back to United Electric and eventually to the members of the United Electric Cooperative, you the member owner.
Your cooperative is governed by 12 board members elected by the membership each year at the annual meeting.
Each year, four directors are up for election.
A nominating committee made up of members totally different than the board and has no contact with the board comes up with the candidates who run for the election.
This year's nominating committee always appoints the next year's nominating committee, so you can be assured the election is fair.
The nominating committee has to be made of members of United Electric Cooperative who are not on the board or closely tied to a board member.
In this way, we ensure adequate democratic representation of the members.
It's a great system that's done us well over the years.
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