My first day at Cherryland was May 21, 2003. Facebook didn’t exist yet. Renting a movie meant going to the nearest Blockbuster. And finding a phone number had you flipping through the phone book. A lot has changed over the last couple of decades, and the same is true for Cherryland.

31 years before I got here, staff moved into our current headquarters facility in Grawn. In 1972, system maps were being drawn and updated by hand, there were no live outage updates or text alerts, and everyone paid their bills by mail or in person.

Since then, the cooperative has grown and evolved — and today we do things much differently. Technology has made us more accurate and efficient. Our membership is growing faster than most other cooperatives our size, so we’re constantly planning ahead to make sure we’re prepared for that growth. And more than ever, members look to us to anticipate what’s next in order to keep the lights on and bills affordable.

We’ve spent more than half of Cherryland’s history serving members from our Grawn location. But, like those before us, we’ve outgrown the house. It’s time to celebrate a new milestone in Cherryland history as we build a new headquarters facility that will see our members through another 50+ years of growth, innovation, and reliable service.

Projects like this are rare, and ours represents so much more than a new building. It’s an opportunity to plan for Cherryland’s future while making sure we continue delivering the level of service our members expect.

Here are just a few of the improvements on the way for your co-op’s new headquarters:

1. Expanded Warehouse and Storage Grounds: Our new facility more than doubles our indoor warehouse space, providing safe, secure storage for the materials and equipment used to build and maintain our system. Moving everything under cover means we can better protect one of the biggest investments we make on your behalf.

2. Secure and Storm-Hardened Command Center: As technology evolves, protecting critical infrastructure and sensitive member data becomes even more important. We will soon have a secure, dedicated space that safeguards our grid-level assets and also serves as a storm command center, where dispatchers, engineers, and communications staff can work together to restore power and keep members informed.

3. Storm Response and Staging Space: The new facility will sit on 40 acres, more than double the size of our current property. This additional space will improve logistics during major restoration efforts by creating more room for materials, mutual aid crews, and operations support, helping crews spend more time getting the lights back on and less time behind the scenes.

4. More Accessible Member Engagement: Today, our member gathering space is not easy to get to, and frankly, not very welcoming. The new headquarters will include a more accessible, comfortable space for member events, educational opportunities, and other programs that strengthen our connection to the communities we serve.

After more than two decades working here, I’ve seen a lot of change, but there’s always one thing that remains constant: our commitment to our members. This new facility is an investment in each one of you — ensuring Cherryland continues to deliver reliable electricity and meets the changing needs of our members for generations to come.