Growing his family farm from 100 acres 50 years ago to the 1,000 acres it covers today, Director Doug Burnworth has learned a few lessons:
1) Don’t ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do, and
2) evolution and education provide you the foresight to make major decisions.
He’s taken these lessons into his 20 years of leadership for District 8 of Noble REMC’s board of directors, paving the way for progress and success at the co-op.
Let’s learn more about Burnworth:
WHY DID YOU WANT TO RUN FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS?
Because of the history of the co-op, in where it started to where it is now and the people that got it there. It’s amazing what people did back when they started co-ops to what co-ops are now. We’ve been able to build on what the founders started.
I also like being part of the community and serving. My dad was a director for 33 years, so I knew the co-op and what it stood for. There were a lot of tough decisions made over the years to get it to where it is. A lot of good people made a lot of good decisions for our co-op. You want to make sure you continue that and keep making it better.
HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN AS A DIRECTOR?
To have a say so to represent the members is big to me. What I’ve learned is you never quit learning. It takes a lot more time than what people realize. You’ve got to keep up on everything, and you need to go to educational classes. It just keeps evolving.
The biggest thing to really open my eyes is when I got on the G&T (generation and transmission) board and was Noble REMC’s director for that board. You think you know how everything’s ran, but you really don’t until you get on that board and see just what’s done so we can have power.
WHAT’S SOMETHING MEMBERS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS A DIRECTOR?
We hire the CEO to run the company. We don’t run it. Major decisions are brought to us to decide on. But the everyday running of the company is not our responsibility.
HOW HAS YOUR CAREER AS A FARMER HELPED YOU IN YOUR DIRECTOR ROLE?
I’ve been blessed to be able to do what I wanted and what I love my whole life. I’ve done it for 50 years.
Farming has evolved just like the electric business, from one pole down the line to one light bulb. We went from a small tractor — you worked everything, you plowed everything and you didn’t have any chemicals to kill weeds back when you first started — to what it is now with the rise of technology and the genetics. It’s grown just like the electric business has, so it gives you the ability to make major decisions. You have the ability and foresight to see exactly why you need to spend money to make it better or to make it better for somebody else.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY
I grew up here. In fact, I grew up on this farm, and I purchased it from my dad. My wife and I have five children together. We’ve also got 10 grandkids. I’m very blessed.
If someone had told me that I would be to this point when I was 21 or 22, I’d say there was no way. Dad had 100 acres. I bought that from him, and we bought the rest along the way. We’ve been really fortunate to be able to do that.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TV SHOW? BINGING ANYTHING?
Every night we watch “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy.”
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT?
Charger House in Ligonier. If I’m not busy, I usually go up every morning for coffee. We sit at the round table, a lot of education there — not! Most people call that the “BS” table. It keeps you together. Good times with friends.
