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When people think about Co-Mo Connect, they often think of the cooperative’s 87-year legacy of delivering reliable, affordable electricity to our members. They may also think of the high-speed internet that keeps families and businesses connected. Co-Mo is proud to provide those exceptional services, but at its heart, the cooperative has always stood for something more. Our mission has never been just about power or internet. It’s about improving the quality of life for the communities we serve. Recently, that mission took another meaningful step forward as Co-Mo Connect helped bring more than $2.2 million in healthcare upgrades to Lake Regional Health System. Through a partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program, Co-Mo Connect helped facilitate a $2,279,408 zero-interest loan to Lake Regional. Acting as the intermediary, Co-Mo Connect worked closely with USDA to secure and administer the funding, ensuring critical healthcare improvements could happen right here at home. “At its core, Co-Mo exists to improve the quality of life for the region we serve,” said Corey ten Bensel, vice president of engagement and business services at Co-Mo Connect. “By supporting projects like this with Lake Regional Health System through the REDLG program, we’re helping ensure high-quality healthcare remains accessible locally and strengthening the communities our members call home.” A major portion of the funding supported a complete remodel of Lake Regional’s inpatient pharmacy, including a new state-of-the-art clean room for preparing sterile intravenous medications such as chemotherapy. During a recent tour of the facility, representatives from Co-Mo Connect and USDA saw firsthand how these upgrades enhance both safety and efficiency for patients and healthcare professionals alike. The improvements go far beyond the walls of the pharmacy. The new facility meets rigorous federal safety standards and allows Lake Regional to expand its capacity, meaning more patients can receive advanced treatments close to home. For families across mid-Missouri, that means fewer long drives, less disruption, and more time focused on healing. In addition to the pharmacy remodel, REDLG funding helped Lake Regional invest in essential equipment across multiple departments, including diagnostic imaging, surgery, and emergency care. From advanced heart imaging technology to upgraded surgical tools and emergency stretchers, these investments strengthen Lake Regional’s ability to provide timely, life-saving care. “These projects and equipment funded by this loan are essential for our teams to provide trauma care, cancer care, and care of hospitalized patients,” said Lake Regional CEO Kevin McRoberts. “Programs like REDLG help us access the capital needed for growth in the current healthcare environment.” As a Level II Stroke Center, Level II STEMI (heart attack) Center, and Level III Trauma Center, Lake Regional plays a critical role in protecting the health of residents throughout the region. These upgrades ensure that role continues for years to come. While Co-Mo Connect does not directly fund these projects, its role in facilitating the REDLG loan is essential. The cooperative’s Economic Development department played a critical role in bringing this opportunity to life, spearheading the effort and coordinating closely with USDA and Lake Regional Health System. Through this collaboration, Co-Mo Connect successfully utilized REDLG funding to support these vital healthcare upgrades. By connecting federal resources to local needs, the cooperative helps turn opportunities into meaningful, lasting benefits for the community. This is what cooperative service looks like in action. It’s about more than powering homes or connecting devices. It’s about strengthening the communities in Co-Mo Country. It’s about helping ensure neighbors, friends, and family members have access to the care they need when it matters most. Through partnerships like this, Co-Mo Connect continues to fulfill its mission to help build a healthier, stronger future for the region it proudly serves.

Co-Mo Connect has been awarded a Gold Viddy Award for excellence in video production for one if its recent video ads, which features a bold brand storytelling designed to be memorable and entertaining. The Viddy Awards, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), recognize outstanding achievement in video and digital production across a global field of entries evaluated by experienced industry professionals. The award-winning video features Chip Thunder, a larger-than-life racing legend who pushes Co-Mo Connect’s ultra-fast internet speeds to the extreme. Co-Mo’s winning video was selected from over 50,000 entries from across the United States, Canada, and 33 other countries. While intentionally over-the-top and humorous, the video’s purpose is strategic. It uses bold entertainment and storytelling to reinforce Co-Mo Connect’s broadband capabilities in a way that stands out in a crowded digital landscape and sticks with viewers long after the video ends. “Chip Thunder represents our willingness to be creative, memorable, and a little unexpected,” said Aaron Bradshaw, Chief Executive Officer of Co-Mo Connect. “Broadband is a serious investment for our communities, but that doesn’t mean the way we talk about it has to be boring. This project shows how storytelling and humor can work together to build brand recognition, spark curiosity, and help people remember who we are and what we do.” Chip Thunder has become a recognizable and effective brand character for Co-Mo Connect. To date, Chip Thunder videos have generated more than one million views, demonstrating the power of entertaining storytelling to drive awareness and engagement around broadband growth. The video was created by Co-Mo Connect’s marketing team, including Manager of Marketing Gene McCoy, Manager of Communications Patrick Wood, and Graphic Designer Derek Wright, in collaboration with Clum Creative. Together, the team focused on blending cinematic visuals, humor, and brand messaging to create content that feels less like traditional marketing and more like shareable entertainment. In addition to the Gold Viddy Award, Co-Mo also received an honorable mention for a separate Chip Thunder video during this award period. By earning these Viddy Awards, Co-Mo Connect joins a global group of organizations recognized for pushing creative boundaries while delivering clear, impactful videos. The Viddy Awards are one of the most respected competitions in the film and video industry, honoring creatives who push the boundaries of storytelling and digital innovation. Watch the award winning videos here: Gold Viddy Award - Chip Thunder meets the Legendary Ben Franklin! Honorable Mention - Chip Thunder vs AI

Aaron Bradshaw, CEO of Co-Mo Connect Powered by Co-Mo Connect Electric Cooperative, Tipton, was honored with the 2025 Frank Stork Democracy Award for his legislative work on behalf of Missouri’s electric cooperatives. The award was presented Oct. 1 at the annual meeting of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) in Branson.   The award is named for Frank Stork, former executive vice president of the association, who devoted most of his life to fighting legislative battles on behalf of Missouri’s electric cooperatives. It is presented annually to someone who upholds these same ideals.   “Politics has always been at the heart of our work, and it takes constant vigilance to succeed — the kind of vigilance Frank Stork exemplified,” said Caleb Jones, CEO of the association. “It is fitting that this award carries his name, and equally fitting that this year’s recipient is Aaron Bradshaw, who has shown the same dedication.”   Aaron’s path to Tipton, Missouri, started in Florida where he was vice president of Member Services and Marketing for Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative. In 2013 he was named CEO of Intercounty Electric Cooperative, Licking, Missouri, where he served until his move to Co-Mo in 2018.   During his time with Missouri’s electric cooperatives Aaron has shown a willingness to not only work to pass or defeat bills affecting the electric cooperative program but also to help put into practice new laws that need testing.   A fine example of this came in 2023 when Co-Mo Connect became the first electric cooperative to use a newly passed territorial law to serve a subdivision that preferred electric cooperative power over another power supplier. That case required countless sleepless nights from Aaron and his staff as Co-Mo fought for the right to serve this area. His hard work paid off after a year of legal wrangling.   Today other electric cooperatives and their members can benefit from this successful test of the Co-op Service Option Law. There is now a template others can use to protect their service territory and provide opportunities for economic development and to grow the cooperative.   Aaron has also been a champion for those co-ops working to provide fiber internet service to their members. Co-Mo’s fiber subsidiary, Co-Mo Connect, has provided a model many others have followed. In its 15 years of existence, it has brought high-speed internet service to more than 25,000 rural people and businesses. Elected officials hold Co-Mo Connect up as a sterling example of what can be accomplished through relentless determination in the face of overwhelming odds.   He serves as chairman of the AMEC Member and Public Relations Committee, a role he uses to help share the electric cooperative message statewide.   “He will always hold a spot as a champion of democratic excellence for rural electric cooperatives,” Jones said. “His concern for community shines forth in all that he does.”   The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives is the Jefferson City-based statewide service organization for Missouri’s electric cooperatives.

Rodney Schad, a long-time electric cooperative director, was honored with the A.C. Burrows Award by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) at the organization’s annual meeting Oct. 1 in Branson.   The purpose of the award is to recognize directors and employees of electric cooperatives for outstanding service to their cooperative, community and service areas. Those who received the award were selected because of their leadership above and beyond the call of duty to strengthen and improve the economic and social conditions in their areas.   Rodney is known for effective leadership in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2004 to 2012 and as a Morgan County commissioner for 16 years. He is a member of the First Christian Church of Versailles and the Missouri Farm Bureau. He dedicates his time as a board member for several organizations, including Quality Industries, Show Me Christian Youth Home, Highland Mutual Insurance Company, Versailles Christian Church and Hopewell Cemetery. He served on the boards of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative from 2009 to 2024 and Central Electric Power Cooperative from 2013 to 2024. Rodney also is a member of the Missouri Public Defender Commission and Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority.   The award is named for the late Audrian Cleon Burrows of Van Buren, Mo., who rose through the ranks to become general manager of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, the statewide service organization for Missouri’s 48 electric cooperatives. Burrows served in this position from 1968 to 1976. He was recognized as an outstanding leader in rural electrification and as a distinguished individual who dedicated his life to helping others.   The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Jefferson City, is the statewide service organization for Missouri’s electric cooperatives.

From left: CEO Aaron Bradshaw, Amanda Kunze, Jennifer Presberry, Mike Kelley, Corey ten Bensel In response to a critical need for dependable childcare in rural Missouri, a new nonprofit, Childcare Village Inc., is setting roots in California, MO, with a bold vision for expansion across rural communities. Founded by Amanda Kunze, along with board members Mike Kelley of the Moniteau Regional Economic Development Council (MRED) and Jenn Millard from Central Missouri Community Action, Childcare Village Inc. is dedicated to providing high-quality childcare and family support where it's needed most.   Amanda Kunze, president of Childcare Village Inc., embarked on this journey over a year ago after attending a community meeting that highlighted the pressing need for reliable childcare. A recent transplant from Kansas City to California, MO, Kunze faced firsthand the frustration and instability of rural childcare.   "When I first moved here, I had to change childcare facilities four times due to closures and staffing issues," Kunze shared. "As a parent, it is frustrating to feel like you are required to choose between your career and your family."   In addition to the closure of four different childcare facilities, Kunze recalled the numerous times she would receive a phone call early in the morning stating the daycare would be closed for the day, leaving her and her husband to figure out a childcare solution before work or use paid time off. She knew that too many in the region shared experiences similar to hers.   "It's also a workforce issue," said Kunze. "If we want our communities to grow and be open to economic development opportunities, we need to provide a workforce that doesn't have to worry about affordable and reliable childcare."   Kunze's initial goal was simply to support her community, but as she connected with parents, business leaders, and local organizations, she realized that meaningful change would require her full commitment. Through connections made at the community meeting, Jennifer Presberry introduced Amanda Kunze to a network of key local figures who shared her vision. Kunze then enrolled in LaunchU, a program sponsored by MRED to support aspiring entrepreneurs, which provided her with the resources and education she needed to turn her vision into a reality.   In November, Childcare Village Inc. took a major step forward when they secured funding through Co-Mo Connect's revolving loan fund program.   "At Co-Mo Connect, our mission is to improve the quality of life for the region we serve," stated Co-Mo Connect CEO Aaron Bradshaw. "Programs like Childcare Village Inc. are vital to the workforce needs of our region. Reliable daycare for kids is a need that is abundantly apparent to the community, and that includes the many parents who live here and work at Co-Mo. We see the need, and we are proud to help."   The organization's first facility in California, MO, is anticipated to open in the spring of 2025 with a capacity of approximately 35-40 children, an initial step toward addressing the childcare shortage in the area. Beyond that, Kunze and her team envision Childcare Village Inc. growing into a franchise model, replicating its success in other rural communities that struggle to meet the minimum requirements set by traditional childcare providers.   "Childcare Village Inc. is more than a daycare," Kunze explained. "It's a model of community-driven support that ensures families have reliable childcare and the peace of mind to pursue their careers."   Childcare Village Inc. is founded on three core pillars:   Staff Support  – Childcare Village Inc. is committed to fostering a balanced work life for its employees by offering competitive wages, healthcare benefits,  career path opportunities, and retirement options.   Parent Peace of Mind  – With the goal of consistent, reliable staffing and age-appropriate curricula, the organization aims to provide a seamless and enriching experience for both children and parents.   Community Involvement  – Recognizing the unique needs of rural Missouri, Childcare Village Inc. is deeply rooted in the community. The organization pledges to continuously engage with and adapt to the evolving childcare needs of the region.   Childcare Village Inc. stands as a testament to the impact a group of like-minded individuals can have when empowered by community support and resources. Through the support of many community and business leaders in the community, Amanda Kunze's determination to address the needs of rural families is set to transform lives, supporting both workforce growth and family stability across Missouri.