Skip to main content

 

 

Search form

Home

Call Us

Cleburne (817) 556-4000
Godley (817) 556-4000
Stephenville (254) 965-3153
Burleson (817) 447-9292
Joshua (817) 556-4000

Granbury (817) 326-5232
Meridian (254) 435-2832
Mansfield (682) 222-0200
Possum Kingdom (940) 779-2985
Internet Support (833) 327-8827

 

Follow Us

Google Translate

 
Menu

Today:

  • Text your outage 24/7. Sign up. Text OUT to 85700. You're automatically added to our outage map. Click for more.

  • Power out? Keep an eye on outages with our Outage Dashboard. Click here to visit the map.

  • Sign up this summer for Beat the Peak! We'll let you know when to save energy through text or email.

  • Are you ready to experience high-speed broadband internet service? It's coming! Read about it here!

 1 / 4 
  • ABOUT US
    • About Us
    • About Your United Co-op
    • Board of Directors
    • Board Meetings
    • Bylaws
    • Community Involvement
    • United Elections
    • Frequently Asked Questions About United
    • Leadership
    • Office Locations
    • Member Rights
    • Power Line Safety Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • Our Rates and Tariff
    • Safety Culture
    • Deregulation
    • PURPA-EISA
    • Securitization After Uri
  • PROGRAMS
    • Programs
    • Arcing Demonstrations
    • Assistance
    • Beat the Peak Sign-Up
    • Brazos Hardship Fund
    • Co-op Connections Card
    • Energy Audits
    • Internet
    • Operation Round Up
    • Rebate Programs
    • Renewable Energy
    • Scholarships
    • Thermostat Program
    • United Community Solar
    • United's Solar Solution
    • Vegetation Management Program
    • Youth Tour
  • MY COOPERATIVE
    • Contact Us
    • Outage Reporting/Outage Map
    • Outage Texting
    • Annual Meeting
    • Arcing Demonstrations
    • Billing and Payments
    • Careers
    • Cooperative Links
    • Electrical Safety
    • Electric Vehicles
    • Member Appreciation Day
    • Member Dividends
    • Metering Upgrade
    • Political Involvement
    • Rate Watch
    • Together We Save
  • MY HOME
    • My Home
    • Energy Innovation
      • In-Home Energy Use Display
  • MY BUSINESS
    • My Business
    • United is Open for Business
    • Internet For Business
  • NEW CONSTRUCTION
    • Electrician's Guide
    • New Construction
  • NEWS AND INFORMATION
    • News and Information
    • News Releases
    • Annual Reports
    • PowerTalk Archive
    • Browser Requirements

Candidate John Jones

Candidate John Jones PortraitJohn Jones began serving as a director in July 2011, and he is observing more than 30 years of membership with United Cooperative Services. He has an extensive background in electric generation construction, including hydroelectric, nuclear and fossil fuel-fired generating facilities. With degrees in civil engineering and economics earned from Trinity College in Ireland, Jones has used his expertise throughout the world for corporations including Bechtel Power, British Petroleum and Exxon-Mobil, among others. Mr. Jones has successfully earned the NRECA’s national Certified Cooperative Director Certification, Board Leadership Certification and Directors Gold Certification, courses that he maintains on a yearly basis by completing newly issued courses.

 

 

Q%26A.jpg

 

 

 

 

Candidate Forum


Explain how you feel your background and experience will help the cooperative fulfill its mission of providing exceptional service and value to its member-owners.

My biography doesn’t show much detail for a 50-year career. What it does show is my reliability, willingness to work anywhere in the world, the ability to pick up languages and mostly the ability to schedule and monitor massive projects. The LNG plant in Qatar will cost over $1billion. I was also expected, in many cases, to monitor the costs and to reschedule the project to the latest estimate. United’s construction projects are not as massive, but the monitoring and reforecasting costs can also be critical. As a director, I do not interfere with detailed construction work, but I do monitor the progress and the management team is always helpful when I have questions.

One of our major responsibilities as directors is to evaluate estimates prior to approving to build what the cooperative needs to provide great service. Recently, costs have escalated substantially and therefore we have been even more cautious while making these evaluations and approving any proposal. Due to substantial increases in new members, we have approved the construction of new offices to support the requirements of the new members. The addition of a community room at the Mansfield office has been very much appreciated as the directors had forecast.

What avenues do you think United Cooperative Services might explore to make sure that it is seen as being a true asset to the members and communities it serves?

I have not been a proponent of adding many other services, such as water, to the electrical distribution service in the past. However, even though broadband internet seemed to be too expensive three or four years ago, I knew that this service would be vital and I became a vocal proponent of a 1 gigabit internet service for our membership. Our management team has brilliantly put together a professional internet team that uses the latest technologies and fiber and has successfully started the installations to thousands of members. The board voted unanimously to continue the progress even when COVID-19 was a disruption.

Highlight at least one of the seven cooperative principles and its importance to the membership of the cooperative.

While all of the 7 Cooperative Principles are important, I feel that #5 reflects the importance of Education, Training and Information. The cooperative’s members realize that the excellent service and the low charges they receive are due to the meticulous training and education using industry recommended procedures. These procedures are faithfully carried out. Additionally, the management and board insist that all actions taken by the cooperative are transparent to the members. The co-op’s sophisticated communication systems range from personnel responding to member questions to updated information on severe weather or any other major or minor situation.

The approval of the cooperative by the membership has shown the highest positive ratings in the country. An approval rating of 90+ is not uncommon for United. These attributes show the sincere concern for each member and for community in general. Donations are approved by the board for police and firefighters and other organizations. In addition, scholarships for members have also been a high priority for the cooperative. After their schooling is complete, many have chosen to join UCS to further their education.

List a few important business areas you believe the cooperative needs to be focused on in the next few years and explain why?

All Seven members of the United Board are conservative when discussing spending resources when presented with proposals for new Construction. The concern is always to minimize risk, which would have a negative impact on charges to the membership. There are times when some risks need to be taken as the co-op membership is growing and new offices are necessary. The board evaluates the costs when choosing an engineering and construction contractor, and approves the cost per square foot of the required structures. All decisions reflect the scope of work for the purchase and delivery of electricity to United members. Up until recently, the board did not want to dilute the efficiency of the purchase and delivery of electricity to our membership. Adding water distribution, gas or propane was not considered. However, the addition of broadband was considered an essential requirement by the membership. The construction of the broadband system has not had any negative impact on UCS’ primary responsibility of the delivery of reliable and cheap electricity. A separate team has been assembled to concentrate on constructing a 1 gigabit system. To date, over 25,000 members have been connected, with exceptional results

The disastrous impact of the URI storm in February 2021 has put a great hardship for UCS and other co-ops. UCS’ financial strength allowed the cooperative to borrow the finances to pay for the impact of the storm at a manageable loan and did not impede the continuation of the internet project sanctioned by the board.

 

Candidate%20Forum.jpg


Return to the 2024 Election Page

​

Back to Top

Call Us

Cleburne (817) 556-4000
Joshua/Godley (817) 556-4000
Stephenville (254) 965-3153
Burleson (817) 447-9292
Joshua (817) 556-4000
Granbury (817) 326-5232
Mansfield (682) 222-0200
Meridian
(254) 435-2832
Possum Kingdom (940) 779-2985
Internet Support (833) FASTUCS (327-8827)

Follow Us

Quick Links

  • CONTACT US
  • INTERNET TROUBLESHOOTING AND SUPPORT
  • BROWSER REQUIREMENTS
  • NEWS AND INFORMATION
  • PROGRAMS
  • REPORT AN OUTAGE

©2025 United Cooperative Services. Delivering exceptional service and value.

  • ABOUT US
    • About Us
    • About Your United Co-op
    • Board of Directors
    • Board Meetings
    • Bylaws
    • Community Involvement
    • United Elections
    • Frequently Asked Questions About United
    • Leadership
    • Office Locations
    • Member Rights
    • Power Line Safety Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • Our Rates and Tariff
    • Safety Culture
    • Deregulation
    • PURPA-EISA
    • Securitization After Uri
  • PROGRAMS
    • Programs
    • Arcing Demonstrations
    • Assistance
    • Beat the Peak Sign-Up
    • Brazos Hardship Fund
    • Co-op Connections Card
    • Energy Audits
    • Internet
    • Operation Round Up
    • Rebate Programs
    • Renewable Energy
    • Scholarships
    • Thermostat Program
    • United Community Solar
    • United's Solar Solution
    • Vegetation Management Program
    • Youth Tour
  • MY COOPERATIVE
    • Contact Us
    • Outage Reporting/Outage Map
    • Outage Texting
    • Annual Meeting
    • Arcing Demonstrations
    • Billing and Payments
    • Careers
    • Cooperative Links
    • Electrical Safety
    • Electric Vehicles
    • Member Appreciation Day
    • Member Dividends
    • Metering Upgrade
    • Political Involvement
    • Rate Watch
    • Together We Save
  • MY HOME
    • My Home
    • Energy Innovation
      • In-Home Energy Use Display
  • MY BUSINESS
    • My Business
    • United is Open for Business
    • Internet For Business
  • NEW CONSTRUCTION
    • Electrician's Guide
    • New Construction
  • NEWS AND INFORMATION
    • News and Information
    • News Releases
    • Annual Reports
    • PowerTalk Archive
    • Browser Requirements