For nearly 70 years, Jo-Carroll Energy has been dedicated to providing its members in the northwestern Illinois with the best electric service at the lowest practical price. Headquartered in Elizabeth, Ill., Jo-Carroll Energy is a not-for-profit distribution cooperative owned and controlled by its members.

All cooperative members have equal voting rights. A board of nine directors is elected by and from the membership. The board ensures that the cooperative works in the best interest of the members and makes major policy decisions such as hiring the CEO and setting rates.

Michael W. Hastings serves as President and CEO of Jo-Carroll Energy.

Jo-Carroll Energy is a member of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the Association Illinois of Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) and Touchstone Energy, a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. There are more than 600 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in 45 states, serving approximately 22 million customers.

Jo-Carroll Energy is an electric and natural gas distribution cooperative.

Distribution cooperatives are utilities that are owned by the members they serve. They are not-for-profit, independently owned businesses that are based in the local community. Cooperative profits, or margins, are either reinvested in the cooperative, saved for emergencies such as natural disaster recovery, or returned to the member-owners as capital credits.

The goal of a cooperative is to provide high-quality service at the lowest practical price for its member-owners.

Cooperatives are governed by a board of directors elected by and from the membership. This board hires the manager, develops a strategic direction and sets business policies and procedures.

For more information on electric cooperatives across the nation, visit www.nreca.org or www.touchstoneenergy.coop.