Wells County Chamber Honors Heartland REMC
The Wells County Chamber of Commerce staff and Ambassadors surprised Heartland REMC as the May Member of the Month. Heartland REMC is located at 4563 E. Markle Road in Markle and currently employs 30.
“The community is the reason we are here,” said Nick Caley, Heartland REMC’s Manager of Member Services. “Heartland REMC is a nonprofit cooperative where the consumers are members and owned by those we serve. We are governed by a 12-member Board of Directors and the focus is about serving the customer.”
The original cooperatives started in 1936 with Huntington County REMC, Wabash County REMC, and Wells County REMC. In November 1964, Huntington County REMC and Wells County REMC rebranded as United REMC. Fifty years later in 2014, United REMC and Wabash REMC consolidated to form Heartland REMC. Today, Heartland REMC serves 18,000 members with customers from a single-family dwelling to a large corporation such as GM.
“REMC was developed in the 1930’s when we heard the call in the rural areas that people wanted reliable power and we answered that call,” stated Caley. “We are doing it again today with the need of reliable high-speed internet out in the country and we are the perfect business model to answer that call again.”
Caley said that fiber lines are currently being installed with the Uniondale area projected for completion in mid-to-late summer. “Overall, 2.5 million feet of fiber has currently been installed in our service territory with a goal of 12 million feet. The response has been very positive, and customers are very happy once they get the fiber.”
Heartland REMC’s commitment to community is taken very seriously with programs such as Operation Round Up and scholarships awarded to individuals in their service territory. “Heartland REMC grants money quarterly through Operation Round Up to 501 (c) 3 organizations,” explained Caley. “To date, we have granted half a million dollars to organizations in the communities we serve. We are currently taking applications for our scholarship program. Anyone that is going to be a full-time student in the fall and lives in our service area can apply. A total of 20 scholarships will be awarded and announced on June 23 during a Facebook Live presentation.”
Pictured in photo left to right:
Keith Muhlenkamp, First Merchants Bank, Chamber Ambassador
Erin Daughtery, State Farm Insurance, Chamber Ambassador
Garrett Keiser, Heartland REMC
Laura Sovine, Heartland REMC
Janet Bartrom, Heartland REMC
Carla Kennedy, Heartland REMC
Pam Fields, Heartland REMC
Amy Linsky, Heartland REMC
Gene Lahr, Heartland REMC
Shari Bracht, Heartland REMC
Nick Caley, Heartland REMC
Mike Schnitz, Heartland REMC
Erin Prible, Wells County Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director
Casey Robbins, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Chamber Ambassador