CEO Karen Moore

Next month, if you happen to live in the southern part of Baldwin County, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the beautiful balloons of one of our area’s most popular festivals. Every year, thousands of spectators gather to gaze at these “floating works of art” during the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival. Baldwin EMC is proud to be represented at the event by the Touchstone Energy Balloon.

Being a part of the hot air balloon festival is a natural fit for a cooperative like Baldwin EMC, because going “above and beyond” for our members and our community is a promise we made 83 years ago and still honor to this day.

When our founding members decided that a cooperative, rather than a for-profit corporation, would be the best fit for their families and neighbors, they interwove a dedication to service into our very identity.

Cooperatives across the globe, including Baldwin EMC, adhere to the same Seven Cooperative Principles that guide all our decisions––from how we run the co-op, to how we engage with our local communities. “Concern for community” is the seventh principle, and one of the main ideals that sets cooperatives apart. We focus on our members’ needs instead of their checkbooks, and we recognize that your needs go above and beyond just electricity. You also need the place you call home to thrive. You need access to vital services such as healthcare, and you need flourishing schools for your children. You need a fruitful economy and opportunities for gainful employment.
Experienced leadership along with a sound business model has put Baldwin EMC in a position to be a part of all those things. It’s not uncommon to see us supporting a local clinic through Operation Round Up funding, providing grants to teachers, or participating in the initiatives of our county’s Chambers of Commerce. These efforts have helped us become more than just your energy provider, we’re a local business that supports the needs of this community and powers prosperity for its people.

We’re also committed to going above and beyond when it comes to the tools we have in place to serve you. While we do like to honor our history, we don’t turn a blind eye to the changing times we live in. Instead, we equip our team with the technology and equipment that allows them to work safely and efficiently and give the best possible service to our members. We also provide access to training for our employees that promotes both professional and personal development. In 2019 alone, our employees participated in more than 11,000 hours of training.

So, if by chance you happen to see the Touchstone Energy Balloon in the skies over Baldwin County, we hope it will remind you that we’re “soaring to new heights” to get above the status quo in member service. The “sky is the limit” when it comes to our efforts to find innovative ways to meet your needs.

And since I’ve already gotten a little “carried away” with the puns, here’s one more. It’s no “hot air” that our commitment to you is one you can count on.