CEO of the Week

My name is Phil Armenta. As an apprentice lineman who spends most of his day looking at the next construction job to complete or the next outage to restore, being selected as United’s Assistant CEO of the Week came a bit as a surprise to me. 

I did not know what to expect from this experience, but I was excited for the opportunity to take an in-depth look into how United Cooperative Services operates and learn how all the different departments work together toward our primary goal of providing exceptional service and value to our members.

Having been a part of the United team for about two years at the time of this honorary stint as Assistant CEO of the Week, it felt good to be where the rubber meets the road and see for myself how much our leadership cares for our employees as well as our members. 

During the week, I was given the opportunity to learn about all the various departments at United, and with that, all the complex roles within those departments. I developed a new level of appreciation for the way every person at United works to do their part to ensure we are running effectively and efficiently. 

It’s easy to become hyper-focused on our individual roles as employees, getting lost in our immediate day-to-day tasks and losing sight of the bigger picture. This experience served as a great reminder as to how interconnected we all are. I saw first-hand how every role serves as a key contributing component to our success and the satisfaction of our members.

One example that stands out is learning more about our Member Services Department. I met with Blake Beavers, our Chief Membership Services Officer, and Gynger Gossett, our member services manager. Given that our member service representatives are the first point of contact for our members, I was amazed by the vast amount of knowledge required for them to perform their jobs effectively, not only in the day-to-day operations of every department, but also in current events within the co-op, the energy industry and the world.

I enjoyed meeting our CEO, Cameron Smallwood, to discuss the future of United and how it could affect both the cooperative and membership. I appreciate the way United has planned for changes that will occur and stayed proactive in terms of potential population growth and power supply expectations to ensure we are maintaining a high level of service. 

After watching a board meeting, I was able to see the board of directors and the United leadership team at work. I was impressed to see how comprehensive every presentation was, from the quarterly performance reports to current events about the power industry at large, all down to the smallest detail. 

This meeting contained a lot of information, but it was great to see that this organization has the strong leadership required to ensure we move in the right direction. No stone was left unturned, and I could see everyone was engaged and ready to make this a productive meeting. 

I feel grateful to have been selected as Assistant CEO of the Week. This experience gave me a better understanding of United’s member-focused operations and allowed me to see that each of us serves an important purpose with the backing of our amazing leadership. There is no telling what God has in store, but it has been a blessing to work for United Cooperative Services, and I am enjoying every moment.