The Next Greatest Thing
The Next Greatest Thing” is a podcast powered by the Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Corporation. This podcast is a place where we come together with electric experts, and dedicated operators to discuss current co-op events, leading-edge technologies, and communicate with AVECC members. We are Arkansas Valley Electric, changing the communities we serve.
Episodes
124 episodes
REPLAY: Trust the Treatment
Each year, AVECC crews treat rights-of-way with herbicide treatment. AVECC right-of-way superintendent, Chris Tedford and expert in herbicide sprays, Tim Jesus, manager of R & E Forestry, Inc. explain the process, the reasons, a...
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Season 6
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Episode 13
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39:10
Getting to Know Sonny Bowman
Right-of-way crewman, Sonny Bowman, shares about his duties at the cooperative, his passion for hunting, and his favorite places to visit in the AVECC service territory
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Season 6
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Episode 9
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12:41
Electrical Safety with Shawn King 3.0
In this episode of The Next Greatest Thing, seasoned guest Shawn King returns to share crucial electrical safety tips for homeowners, farmers, and storm prep. From navigating aging wiring and DIY pitfalls to protecting your barn from c...
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15:32
Changing Communities One Child at a Time: Spotlighting The Call and Annie's House of Hope
The Call and Annie's House of Hope are making a difference in the River Valley one child at a time. We talk with Leslie Maddox of The Call and Marilyn Sanders, the executive director of Arkansas Children's Advocacy about their mission, it's nee...
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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36:51
Getting to Know Penny Baker
Meet Penny Baker, a Member Services Team Lead at AVECC. Hear about Penny's 17 years with the co-op, her role in ensuring members receive excellent local service, and get to know her personal side, including her love for hiking and baking. ...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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14:34
Getting to Know Jason Kelly
Join "The Next Greatest Thing" as we chat with Jason Kelly, Arkansas Valley Electric's new Construction Superintendent, about his 30-year career in line work and his transition to office life. Jason shares insights on coordinating crews, managi...
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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19:20
What's Up with Wave Rural Connect?
Wave Rural Connect has some exciting news! Listen to today's podcast to learn more about the fiber build out, new services and more!
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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16:02
Getting to Know John Mobley
Guest host Emily Reames talks with Wave Rural Connect Fiber Technician John Mobley about his role in keeping the community connected. John shares insights into the challenges of troubleshooting outages and the importance of reliable internet se...
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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12:15
Cooperation in Crisis: Cooperatives Unite in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
Today, we share the story of how Arkansas Valley Electric partnered with a North Carolina cooperative to provide aid after Hurricane Helene's devastating impact. Listen to firsthand accounts of the destruction and the powerful community re...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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42:29
Getting to Know Brooke Becker
Brooke Becker celebrates five years at the cooperative, shares her new role responsibilities as one of the new billing specialists, stories of motherhood, and her favorite destination spot to go fishing.
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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13:40
Getting to Know Barret Ewing
Barret Ewing takes us behind thescenes of his position as the AVECC Director of Engineering and Operations. He shares his passion for the cooperative, and his vision for the future.
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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12:47
Employee of the Year- Cindy Bowman
Cindy Bowman talks about her reaction to winning Employee of the Year, her passion for plants, love for cattle, and much more on today's episode of The Next Greatest Thing!
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Season 5
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Episode 23
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22:08
Answering the Call: AVECC Linemen Share Their Perspective on Hurricane Helene Relief
Three AVECC Linemen share their experiences traveling to Florida and Georgia in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. They talk about the damage they worked through, living conditions, the challenges of leaving loved ones behind, and the cooperati...
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Season 5
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Episode 22
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30:41
Getting to Know Kenneth Wilbanks
Staking Superintendent Kenneth Wilbanks shares his role in the staking department, his privilege of working with cooperative members, and his passion for sports.
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Season 5
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Episode 21
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16:04
Getting to Know Kendall Ward
Serviceman Kendall Ward knew his career at AVECC would last a lifetime. Kendall shares his journey becoming a lineman, and much more in this month's Getting To Know episode!
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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15:24
Cyber Safe with Your Co-op
Want to keep your co-op account safe from hackers? Join us as we discuss essential cybersecurity tips with AVECC's IT experts. Learn how to create strong passwords, spot phishing scams, and discover what your co-op is doing to protect our emplo...
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Season 5
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Episode 20
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12:55
Getting to Know Stacie Howe
Stacie Howe was recently named the AVECC Human Resources Supervisor. We talk with Stacie about her new role, her history with the cooperative, and why fall is her favorite season of the year.
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11:46
Talking with Multimedia Interns Kendell and Ruthie
Kendell Friemel and Ruthie Qualls share their experiences as Multimedia interns for the cooperative, their plans for their future, and their dream podcast guest to interview.
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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26:56
Getting to Know Matt Larimore
This month, lineman, Matt Larimore celebrates 25 years serving his local community as a cooperative lineman. In today's episode, Matt shares how he started as a summer intern three days after graduating high school, and ultimately turned that e...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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10:45
A FREE trip to D.C.? Tell me more!
Drayke Boen, Katherine Wright, and Tegan Stimac join us to unveil their newfound insights into electric cooperatives, Tegan’s sweet tea depravity, the girls’ quest to collect trading pins from every state, and the life-changing moments that mad...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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26:24
Getting to Know Sierra Cowens
Sierra Cowens is now in a new role at the cooperative. Learn about her new position, how it affects cooperative members, and whether or not she prefers tacos or BBQ!
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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10:17
REPLAY: How Rights of Way are Doing Us Right
Right-of-Way Superintendent Chris Tedford talks about how ROW benefits members, how ROW crews are trained and why linemen crews use chainsaws in bucket trucks.
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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29:43
Electrical Safety with Master Electrician Shawn King
Pools, barns and yards. What do they all have in common? They all use electricity! It's important to ensure that you are staying safe when working with electricity. AVECC System Coordinator (and past employee of the year) Shawn King sits ...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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24:55