FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2025
Joe Wheeler EMC Celebrates Successful 88th Annual Meeting, Announces Growth and Strong Financial Performance
Trinity, AL – On a beautiful spring day, more than 450 members of Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Corporation (JWEMC) gathered to take part in the cooperative’s 88th Annual Meeting. Held as both a celebration and a business update, the meeting featured live music, a delicious Swamp John’s lunch, exciting door prizes, and the annual Board of Trustees elections.
This year’s elections for Board Districts 1, 2, and 3 saw incumbents reelected unopposed:
- District 1: Ricky Knouff – 2,403 votes
- District 2: Dr. Michael Penney – 2,450 votes
- District 3: Joseph Dutton – 2,436 votes
Ten $2,000 J.R. Knouff Scholarships were awarded to outstanding local students:
Mallory Carter (East Lawrence), Jacob Jackson (Falkville), Jacob Haymes (Samford), Lanie Martin (Danville), Kailey Carpenter (University of Alabama), Landon McCulloch (Regional Training Institute), Baxley Black (Priceville), Max Parker (UAH), Shanna Sowell (East Lawrence), and Avery Early (Priceville).
Prize winners included Patsy Evans Steenson of Somerville, who received the grand prize—a $3,500 gift card. Numerous other attendees received $100 gift cards, FlashFiber prizes, smart thermostats, and TVA-sponsored items.
General Manager’s Report
Gene Kanikovsky, General Manager of JWEMC and FlashFiber, provided updates on the cooperative’s family of companies and their continued financial growth.
- FlashFiber now serves more than 17,300 customers in Lawrence and Morgan Counties. In 2024, it generated $9.4 million in revenue and holds $3.2 million in assets.
- Wheeler Basin Natural Gas is also thriving, now serving 4,200 consumers. It recorded $3.5 million in revenue in 2024, with total assets of $21 million prior to depreciation.
JWEMC itself has rebounded impressively from the previous year, posting strong financials across the board:
- Total Electric Utility Assets rose by $52 million to a total of $440 million
- Consolidated expenses decreased by $4.3 million
- Interest expenses rose by $3.1 million, attributed to capital investments and inflation
- A Net Margin of $8.1 million was recorded, a testament to the cooperative’s strategic planning and employee dedication
Looking Ahead
Kanikovsky emphasized that the momentum is continuing across all fronts:
- FlashFiber will soon expand service into Courtland, thanks to a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)
- Wheeler Basin is preparing to serve qualified residential subdivisions in both counties
- On the electric side, more than 3,000 residential lots are currently under design or construction—demonstrating the area’s rapid growth and need for reliable utility service
Kanikovsky also took time to honor JWEMC linemen for their response during recent storms that left more than 7,000 members without power. “Our crews were in the field as the storms cleared—restoring power with speed and professionalism,” he said. He also recognized four JWEMC linemen who volunteered to travel to Arizona last summer to assist the Navajo Nation with vital power infrastructure.
“I think this year’s Annual Meeting was a great success, and I would like to thank the JWEMC Board of Trustees, our dedicated employees, and most of all, our wonderful members for making it all possible,” Kanikovsky said. “This is what being part of a cooperative family is all about.”
For more information about Joe Wheeler EMC, FlashFiber, or Wheeler Basin Natural Gas, visit www.jwemc.coop or contact Michael Cornelison at mcornelison@jwemc.org or 256-552-2355.