Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative employees accept the “2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia” award. From left are Peter Burke, president of Best Companies Group; MEC employees Dustin Francis, Carolyn Glass, Shelley Snead, and Sherry Martin; and Bernie Niemeier, president and publisher of Virginia Business magazine.
For the third consecutive year, Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative (MEC) has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Virginia” by Virginia Business Magazine and Best Companies Group. MEC President and CEO John C. Lee, Jr., says, “Needless to say, we are very, very proud of this significant recognition. The Best Places to Work in Virginia list is made up of 100 outstanding companies; and in 2018, the first year our cooperative was selected for the honor, we were ranked number 18 in the Medium Employer Category (100-249 U.S. employees).
Last year, we were again recognized and ranked 15th, and we were pleased to learn that our 2020 ranking has risen all the way to 4th. What makes this honor very special is the fact that it is awarded based primarily on what our employees think of our organization.”
The statewide program is designed by Virginia Business Magazine and Best Companies Group to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Virginia, benefiting the state's economy, workforce, and businesses.
To be considered for participation, companies have to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
- Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity;
- Be a publicly or privately held business;
- Have a facility in the state of Virginia;
- Have at least 15 employees working in the state of Virginia; and
- Be in business for a minimum of 1 year.
Companies from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Virginia. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25 percent of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75 percent of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Virginia and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final ranking.
Lee, who has served as president and CEO of Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative for 12 years, states, “We highly value all our excellent employees and are thankful that they view our cooperative as a great place to work. I congratulate MEC, its board of directors, our management staff, and my outstanding co-workers on this honor because no one person or department can make any organization a great place to work…it takes everyone. Clearly, we earned this recognition because our MEC team collectively takes deep pride in our responsibility to our members, and we have a very strong family culture built on mutual support, caring, and respect for each other.”
Lee closed by stating, “Our work on behalf of those we serve is rewarding far beyond compensation and benefits…we take care of families and businesses and impact their quality of life. It’s a serious job that we take seriously. All associated with MEC share a common and well-received mission and we strive to be a successful team that exceeds the expectations of our members, and earns their trust…that is the powerful bond that makes MEC a great place to work.”
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative was created in 1938 and is the not-for-profit energy provider to over 31,000 meters located in portions of the Virginia counties of Brunswick, Charlotte, Greensville, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Southampton, and Sussex and the North Carolina counties of Granville, Person, Northampton, Vance, and Warren. It is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, headquartered in Chase City with district offices in Gretna, Emporia, and Chase City. It is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information, visit the Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative Website.
Visit the Best Places to Work in Virginia program for more information.