With 35 years of experience in the industry, Alan Gates’ transition to President and CEO of Pennyrile Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation in 2018 provided him an opportunity to prepare his system for the future.

“There was a real need for broadband-to-the-home in our community. We already had SCADA and some other things in place at PRECC that would enable our system to work better for our members, but we knew that there was more we could offer. We started working on outlining broadband deployment in 2020 and have established a solid pathway to completion. I think by this time next year, we’ll have made significant progress on that front.”

In an industry that is evolving rapidly, Alan wants his members to know that he keeps his community’s needs in mind with every decision he makes.

“None of this is about me at all. The focus is always on what is best for our membership as a whole, and even as recently as the broadband project—we absolutely had to find a route that provided a desperately needed solution for the community. We had to figure out a way to serve each and every member. We’re thankful that with some help, we were able to do that and look forward to the positive impact it’s going to have on our community.”

With so much growth in the Valley, Alan encourages new leaders to truly plug in and get to know their community in order to know what innovation would be of most value.

“What works for one cooperative or LPC doesn’t necessarily work for everyone else. You have to listen to the people that you serve, work with your boards, and just make the best decision for your community. At the end of the day, that’s the reason we do what we do, and it’s important to keep that in focus.”