The Next Greatest Thing

Right-of-way crewman, Sonny Bowman, shares about his duties at the cooperative, his passion for hunting, and his favorite places to visit in the AVECC service territory

In this episode of The Next Greatest Thing , seasoned guest Shawn King returns to share crucial electrical safety tips for homeowners, farmers, and storm prep. From navigating aging wiring and DIY pitfalls to protecting your barn from curious critters and preparing for disasters, Shawn delivers practical advice that could save a life—or at least your coffee maker. Whether you're rewiring a ro...

The Call and Annie's House of Hope are making a difference in the River Valley one child at a time. We talk with Leslie Maddox of The Call and Marilyn Sanders, the executive director of Arkansas Children's Advocacy about their mission, it's needs, and how even one home can make a lifelong impact. 

Meet Penny Baker, a Member Services Team Lead at AVECC. Hear about Penny's 17 years with the co-op, her role in ensuring members receive excellent local service, and get to know her personal side, including her love for hiking and baking.   

Join "The Next Greatest Thing" as we chat with Jason Kelly, Arkansas Valley Electric's new Construction Superintendent, about his 30-year career in line work and his transition to office life. Jason shares insights on coordinating crews, managing communication, and the importance of patience during power outages. Beyond work, we explore his passion for hunting, especially turkey sea...

Wave Rural Connect has some exciting news! Listen to today's podcast to learn more about the fiber build out, new services and more! 

Guest host Emily Reames talks with Wave Rural Connect Fiber Technician John Mobley about his role in keeping the community connected. John shares insights into the challenges of troubleshooting outages and the importance of reliable internet service, highlighting WAVE's commitment to its members.

Today, we share the story of how Arkansas Valley Electric partnered with a North Carolina cooperative to provide aid after Hurricane Helene's devastating impact. Listen to firsthand accounts of the destruction and the powerful community response, showcasing the cooperative principle of 'concern for community' in action.

Brooke Becker celebrates five years at the cooperative, shares her new role responsibilities as one of the new billing specialists, stories of motherhood, and her favorite destination spot to go fishing. 

Barret Ewing  takes us behind thescenes of his position as the AVECC Director of Engineering and Operations. He shares his passion for the cooperative, and his vision for the future.

Cindy Bowman talks about her reaction to winning Employee of the Year, her passion for plants, love for cattle, and much more on today's episode of The Next Greatest Thing! 

Three AVECC Linemen share their experiences traveling to Florida and Georgia in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. They talk about the damage they worked through, living conditions, the challenges of leaving loved ones behind, and the cooperative spirit through it all. 

Staking Superintendent Kenneth Wilbanks shares his role in the staking department, his privilege of working with cooperative members, and his passion for sports. 

Serviceman Kendall Ward knew his career at AVECC would last a lifetime. Kendall shares his journey becoming a lineman, and much more in this month's Getting To Know episode! 

Want to keep your co-op account safe from hackers? Join us as we discuss essential cybersecurity tips with AVECC's IT experts. Learn how to create strong passwords, spot phishing scams, and discover what your co-op is doing to protect our employees and you! 

Stacie Howe was recently named the AVECC Human Resources Supervisor. We talk with Stacie about her new role, her history with the cooperative, and why fall is her favorite season of the year. 

Kendell Friemel and Ruthie Qualls share their experiences as Multimedia interns for the cooperative, their plans for their future, and their dream podcast guest to interview. 

This month, lineman, Matt Larimore celebrates 25 years serving his local community as a cooperative lineman. In today's episode, Matt shares how he started as a summer intern three days after graduating high school, and ultimately turned that experience into a lifelong career. Congrats, Matt! 

Drayke Boen, Katherine Wright, and Tegan Stimac join us to unveil their newfound insights into electric cooperatives, Tegan’s sweet tea depravity, the girls’ quest to collect trading pins from every state, and the life-changing moments that made their Youth Tour experience unforgettable. 

Sierra Cowens is now in a new role at the cooperative. Learn about her new position, how it affects cooperative members, and whether or not she prefers tacos or BBQ! 

Right-of-Way Superintendent Chris Tedford talks about how ROW benefits members, how ROW crews are trained and why linemen crews use chainsaws in bucket trucks. 

Pools,  barns and yards. What do they all have in common? They all use electricity! It's important to ensure that you are staying safe when working with electricity. AVECC System Coordinator (and past employee of the year) Shawn King sits down to discuss some electrical safety tips. 

Executive secretary, Larhonda Melton reminisces about her years in service to the cooperative, and shares some exciting news. 

AMR Coordinator, Kevin McGuire joins the podcast to talk about his time working in dispatch and with meters at the cooperative, AND his passion outside of work. And you'll never guess what it is! 

AVECC Engineering Manager and AVECC Systems Engineer, Samantha Renard discuss the recently awarded $18 million  smart grid grant and how it will ultimately change the rural River Valley communities for the better.