Cooperative Living October 2022 - 6

-- WERFUL - -----Brothers
on the Job
by Jim Robertson, Staff Writer
Teamwork matters at gas generation facility
J
Generation Facility in Rising Sun, Md.,
in
un, Md.,
but are both exactly where they want
re they want
to be.
" I was trying to be like my Dad, " ad, "
saysWooley, instrument controls andand
electrical technician at the combined-edcycle
plant. Growing up in Texas,Wooley
was influenced by his father who workedke
in the power industry. A family friend
suggested attending an instrumentationion
school and the rest is history.Wooley
had options after school, but says,
" I really wanted to be at a power plant.
It's a lot safer. "
Wooley traveled toMaryland to assistto
with the opening ofWildcat Point; the
leadership quickly impressed him. His
le
kly
ldcat Point; the
him. His
request to join the team became reality
--- T'S A CO-OP?
Dream eavers
Cooperatives trace their roots
to Scottish basket makers
I
n honor of National Co-op Month,
it's instructive to take a look at the
roots of the cooperative movement.
For that, it's necessary to journey to the
village of Fenwick in East Ayshire,
Scotland, where a pioneering group of
weavers started what is generally
considered to be the first cooperative.
The year was 1761, and weavers in
Fenwick had relied on local landowners
and the aristocracy to support them,
notes the Future Museum project in
Scotland. Faced with that market, 16
weavers signed a pledge of mutual loyalty
4 ● Cooperative Living ●
October 2022
Fenwick, Scotland
-working together, instead of
com et
to
ur
competing, to ensure a fair price for their
labors. " The idea that the working classes
could organize themselves and cooperate
with each other in a way that was
mutually beneficial and which enabled
them to operate on their own was brand
new, " according to the project.
competing, to ensure a fair price for their
ir price for
hei
From baskets to banks. The Fenwick
Weavers Society branched out into
selling discounted food and lending
money to members, which established
it as the first credit union on record. In
1808, the cooperative founded a library
and a service to help members relocate
elsewhere in the world.
In time, the society faded, given
the mechanization of weaving and the
departure of members to more lucrative
spots. In 2011, the Scottish parliament
recognized the 250th anniversary of
the society.
" We can trace the idea of a formal
co-operative, founded on a clear
statement of values and principles,
as it spread from Fenwick throughout
Scotland to the UK and further afield, "
says lawmaker Willie Coffey. 
co-opliving.com
As a member of an electric cooperative, you
are part of one of 3 million co-ops worldwide.
Here's the story about one of them.
ustin Wooley and Brent Pinkerton
followed different paths to their
careers at the Wildcat Point
l
once the plant started operating
in 2018. He and his wife are big
believers in the co-op business
model and culture.
A Pennsylvania native, Pinkerton
took engineering classes after high school
and worked odd jobs. He thought about
pursuing a career in automotive design.
" I like cars, " admits the power plant
mechanical technician. Following the
lead of friends who enrolled in the power
program at a tech school, Pinkerton,
with little to no knowledge of the power
industry, found his way to an entry-level
position at Wildcat Point.
Pinkerton was intrigued by the jet
engines used at the plant, boasting
400,000 horsepower. " As a car guy, "
he says, " that just excites me. They're
fun to work around and on. I never
thought I'd be here. "
Brent Pinkerton
Justin Wooley
Both compare their professions to
the military culture: No one left behind.
The teamwork and camaraderie, which
plant personnel often refer to as a family
atmosphere, make them look forward
to coming to work each day.
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative,
a generation-and-transmission cooperative
owned by 11 mid-Atlantic electric co-ops,
operates Wildcat Point. Wooley and
Pinkerton appreciate the smaller size of
the company, which allows for familiarity
with coworkers right up to senior
leadership. Training and development
opportunities also are key factors in
employee retention at ODEC.
For more, visit vmdaec.com/powerfulcareers.
PHOTO BY JIM ROBERTSON
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT SCOTLAND
http://www.vmdaec.com/powerfulcareers http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living October 2022

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