Last year, Wolverine celebrated a few notable records. We generated the most power in our history, purchased more natural gas than ever, and set several sales and usage records. I also set a new record – one I’m not very proud of! In early January, my weight reached a lifetime high. I could offer a [...]
How do you solve complicated strategic organizational challenges that impact multiple areas of a company? Who holds responsibility when strategic objectives involve different departments? Mission critical projects can challenge an organization with their complexity, and they require focus, organizational awareness, and tenacity; carrying them out requires a team. That’s the new role of the Wolverine’s [...]
How would you define Wolverine’s culture? Please take a moment right now and try to answer this in a few words. This simple question seems harder for me to answer than it should be. We do have a strong culture here at Wolverine. Examples I see include your strong desire to serve our members, your [...]
December 21, the Winter Solstice…our first official day of winter. It marks the shortest day of our year, which seems all too real as I drive to and from work in the dark these days. For me, the solstice kindles the furtive hope that summer will return, as each day will get longer than the [...]
Where should Wolverine employees direct their efforts next year? What makes Wolverine strong? What things do we need to improve on? What issues could threaten Wolverine? What opportunities lie in front of us? These core questions comprised the bulk of our conversation with the Board and Member CEOs at last week’s Strategic Planning session. We [...]
December marks the time for Strategic Planning. Wolverine managers prepare budgets, vice presidents think about divisional goals, and all this gets rolled up by the Finance & Accounting group so we can understand the impact on our bottom line. You might think this is a once a year exercise, and the truth is a sort [...]
“Use small words, I’m just a dumb concrete guy!” You better proceed with caution if you fell into this self-deprecating trap from Rick Deneweth. He was truly a concrete guy. In fact, if you wanted to rile him up, just say, “pouring cement’” and he would deliver a swift rebuke that cement is only one [...]
Wolverine rides a good wave right now. We provide value and competitive, reliable power for our member-owners. We own competitive generating plants that run well, we built and maintain a strong and improving transmission network, our stable and competitive member rates allow us to invest in our future, and we have talented, caring employees. When [...]
Yesterday morning's drive to work blessed us with brilliant autumn colors, which arrived finally after this year’s slow transition to fall. A few trees in particular stood out. Trees that I’d looked at dozens of times this year suddenly distinguished themselves from the rest of the forest. What made them special? What made them stand [...]
Many of us at Wolverine need to travel to do our jobs. In fact, my travel usually pales in comparison to others like Craig Borr, Wolverine's Executive Vice President, and CEO of our Michigan Electric Cooperative Association. He travels regularly to Lansing and Washington DC to advocate for Michigan cooperatives and build important relationships with [...]