The People Behind the Power: Humanizing the cooperative model 

Welcome to The People Behind the Power, where we showcase the extraordinary work Tri-State employees are doing to keep the lights on for nearly 1 million energy consumers in the rural West. This series pulls back the curtain to share the real stories of the individuals whose dedication powers our communities. Because when you meet the people behind the power, you see the heart, talent, and perseverance that goes into every flip of a switch.  

Tell us about your role and what your day-to-day work is like. 

My name is Michelle Pastor, and I am a Relationship Manager at Tri-State which means that I act as a liaison between Tri-State and the member systems I serve in order to enhance the relationship. I’m lucky to be one of the faces of Tri-State, but honestly, my job is a whole lot easier thanks to all the amazing efforts everyone else at Tri-State puts in behind the scenes!  

We’re really committed to engaging our members and letting them know about Tri-State's programs and updates, and getting them what they need from Tri-State to help their systems thrive. I work with most of the Colorado cooperatives which requires a good deal of travel so that I can visit them on a regular basis. 

What brought you to the cooperative world, and how has your journey evolved since joining? 

When I took the job, I had no idea what the cooperative model was because I hadn’t learned about it in business school. I came from a really competitive industry where we had to be careful about what information we shared.  

Then when I came to Tri-State, in my first meeting with other cooperatives, one system shared a creative program that engaged their members. I loved the concept and wanted to use it, but someone else had developed it so I assumed I’d have to recreate the program. When they said that they would share the program with anybody that wanted it, including notes, verbiage, PowerPoint presentations, and findings, I couldn't believe it! 

I realized that this is what it means to be cooperative, and that by sharing knowledge and resources while working together to overcome challenges, everyone benefits.  Tri-State's web site eloquently describes other advantages of cooperatives here. 

Can you share a moment when you felt especially proud to be a part of Tri-State? 

There are so many, but I feel most proud when I attend our members’ annual meetings. I get to talk with their members, those that are at the end of the power line and see the faces of those I’m working for. 

At each member system’s annual meeting, I’m also able to meet the high school student that receives the Tri-State scholarship. I get to see their smiles and hear their gratitude – there's no feeling like it! 

I interact with even more young members during the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour and The Story Behind the Switch Program.  As part of the Youth Tour program, bright students from our service territory get the chance to go to Washington D.C. They can talk to their legislators about how important the rural community is and see the inner workings of a complex industry.  

The Story Behind the Switch is a science program that we deliver to the schools in our service territory. With both of these youth programs, I take the opportunity to introduce students to the cooperative model and to encourage these high-achieving students to explore careers in the energy industry. I’m excited to help them understand how we all work together to bring electricity to their homes and schools.  

What excites you about the future of energy and your role in it? 

What excites me is all the changes we’re seeing right now. Luckily, we have smart and innovative people working here at Tri-State to develop programs to bring lasting solutions to member pain points. There are some creative energy services programs — like Bring Your Own Resource, Demand Response, On-Bill Repayment — that can make a big difference for members' quality of life.  

Can you share a story about when you worked directly to help a member cooperative solve an issue or achieve something new? 

When a co-op asked me to help them improve their member support interactions, I thought that the best place to start was to show the staff how proud they should be of the service that their cooperative provides. I introduced a  Touchstone Energy Cooperatives program called The Road to Member Engagement and facilitated a training session to improve member service. We found that proud employees led to improved member interactions.  

Connecting to the work we do as a not-for-profit in a very for-profit industry is a really special part of working for a cooperative.  

What would surprise people about the cooperative model?  

We really are like family. I have so many great friends in the cooperative world and after each member visit, I feel energized. My favorite days are those that I spend with our members!  

Although I work for Tri-State, I get electricity from an investor-owned utility, so I see the differences every day. I can compare the member-driven way we operate at Tri-State to that of the investor-owned, profit-driven utility, so I easily bring the cooperative benefit perspective to every conversation I have with our member systems and with their members at the end of the line. 

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From relationship managers to cyber security engineers to substation technicians, the people needed to power our cooperative are as unique as the territories our members serve. If you are interested in applying your skills to improve the lives and livelihoods of our members, check out our open positions here.