by Prissi Sullivan
Gary Miller, President/CEO of GreyStone Power was the featured speaker at the Villa Rica Leadership Luncheon at The Venue on 150 Stone Street in Downtown Villa Rica on June 12, 2019. Miller spoke on the three components of a successful business—who makes up a business, initiatives, and leadership.
GreyStone Power is the 4th largest cooperative in Georgia and the 15th largest in the United States, with 117,000 members. It serves 8 counties and has 7,000 miles of power line. Last year’s revenue totaled $259 million; $77,000 was paid in taxes to Carroll County; $131,500 in taxes to Villa Rica.
Miller explained that the company, having outgrown its current location, will be moving to 194 acres in Paulding County in October 2020. The new facility will be located at Ridge Road and Highway 92. “We try to keep the company as close to the geographic center of our customer base as possible,” stated Miller. The new facility will have a solar field with 750 blocks available. All are sold.
GreyStone is diversifying their services. Miller stated that, currently, the company is investigating the feasibility of supplying broadband internet to areas unserved or underserved in west Georgia. Senate Bill 2 would allow the utility companies to do this.
Miller predicted that by 2030, 20 million electric vehicles would be on the roads. There are 1 million now. He also stated that it would be cheaper to operate an electric vehicle than a gasoline one by 2025. “Batteries are holding a charge longer,” he explained, “and the goal is to only have to charge the vehicle once a day—at night, off peak usage time.”
GreyStone is in the process of changing out all their streetlights to LED lighting which is less expensive and lower maintenance. About 40% have already been changed out as the necessity arose.
The company is using a different vendor for their electric meters, necessitating a change out of all the meters. This will provide enhanced, usable data. “We have a smart grid,” declared Miller. “Now we want a smarter grid.”
As for leadership, Miller feels employee retention is a must. “We provide ample opportunity for advancement with a robust succession plan; we invest in our employees,” he declared. “We seek, need, and use employee feedback.” In order to do this, Miller expanded the team for strategic planning by including every manager. “We put together goals and plans and meet every other month to see if they are being met and to plan ways to accomplish the goals set,” he explained. “The key is to involve more people in strategic planning.” GreyStone employs 265 people, of which 17 are members of the senior leadership team.
J. D. Power Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study ranked GreyStone as #1 in customer satisfaction among cooperatives in 2019. The company was also named Best Employer in the Douglas County Sentinel Reader’s Choice Awards. Furthermore, GreyStone took first place honors statewide in the Georgia Lineman’s Rodeo for 2019.
GreyStone Power recently received recognition in the 2019 Spotlight on Excellence national awards program, sponsored by the Council of Rural Electric Communicators (CREC) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The cooperative received the Spotlight program’s top honor, the Edgar F. Chesnutt Award, for Best Total Communication Program, for the “Making Life Better” campaign.
Miller has been president/CEO of GreyStone Power Corporation since 1999. He graduated from North Georgia College with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and earned his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
He is past chairman of the board for WellStar Health System, where he also served on the Finance, Audit, Executive, Compensation, and Governance Committees. He has been a trustee for WellStar since 2001 and serves on the Hospital Authority of Douglas County and the Development Authority of Douglas County.
The Leadership Luncheon Series is sponsored by Villa Rica Main Street and is a bi-monthly event. Sara Ray, President and CEO of the Douglas County Chamber, will be the guest speaker on August 14, 2019. Tickets may be purch
Prissi Sullivan
Gary Miller, President/CEO of GreyStone Power was the featured speaker at the Villa Rica Leadership Luncheon at The Venue on 150 Stone Street in Downtown Villa Rica on June 12, 2019. Miller spoke on the three components of a successful business—who makes up a business, initiatives, and leadership.
GreyStone Power is the 4th largest cooperative in Georgia and the 15th largest in the United States, with 117,000 members. It serves 8 counties and has 7,000 miles of power line. Last year’s revenue totaled $259 million; $77,000 was paid in taxes to Carroll County; $131,500 in taxes to Villa Rica.
Miller explained that the company, having outgrown its current location, will be moving to 194 acres in Paulding County in October 2020. The new facility will be located at Ridge Road and Highway 92. “We try to keep the company as close to the geographic center of our customer base as possible,” stated Miller. The new facility will have a solar field with 750 blocks available. All are sold.
GreyStone is diversifying their services. Miller stated that, currently, the company is investigating the feasibility of supplying broadband internet to areas unserved or underserved in west Georgia. Senate Bill 2 would allow the utility companies to do this.
Miller predicted that by 2030, 20 million electric vehicles would be on the roads. There are 1 million now. He also stated that it would be cheaper to operate an electric vehicle than a gasoline one by 2025. “Batteries are holding a charge longer,” he explained, “and the goal is to only have to charge the vehicle once a day—at night, off peak usage time.”
GreyStone is in the process of changing out all their streetlights to LED lighting which is less expensive and lower maintenance. About 40% have already been changed out as the necessity arose.
The company is using a different vendor for their electric meters, necessitating a change out of all the meters. This will provide enhanced, usable data. “We have a smart grid,” declared Miller. “Now we want a smarter grid.”
As for leadership, Miller feels employee retention is a must. “We provide ample opportunity for advancement with a robust succession plan; we invest in our employees,” he declared. “We seek, need, and use employee feedback.” In order to do this, Miller expanded the team for strategic planning by including every manager. “We put together goals and plans and meet every other month to see if they are being met and to plan ways to accomplish the goals set,” he explained. “The key is to involve more people in strategic planning.” GreyStone employs 265 people, of which 17 are members of the senior leadership team.
J. D. Power Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study ranked GreyStone as #1 in customer satisfaction among cooperatives in 2019. The company was also named Best Employer in the Douglas County Sentinel Reader’s Choice Awards. Furthermore, GreyStone took first place honors statewide in the Georgia Lineman’s Rodeo for 2019.
GreyStone Power recently received recognition in the 2019 Spotlight on Excellence national awards program, sponsored by the Council of Rural Electric Communicators (CREC) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The cooperative received the Spotlight program’s top honor, the Edgar F. Chesnutt Award, for Best Total Communication Program, for the “Making Life Better” campaign.
Miller has been president/CEO of GreyStone Power Corporation since 1999. He graduated from North Georgia College with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and earned his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
He is past chairman of the board for WellStar Health System, where he also served on the Finance, Audit, Executive, Compensation, and Governance Committees. He has been a trustee for WellStar since 2001 and serves on the Hospital Authority of Douglas County and the Development Authority of Douglas County.
The Leadership Luncheon Series is sponsored by Villa Rica Main Street and is a bi-monthly event. Sara Ray, President and CEO of the Douglas County Chamber, will be the guest speaker on August 14, 2019. Tickets may be purchased at www.downtownvillarica.com.
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