Bonham, Texas — Effective today, Sept. 1, Fannin County Electric Cooperative will now be known as Fannin Electric Cooperative.
The shortened name is part of an overall rebrand to highlight the co-op’s evolution since its founding in 1937. A new logo and tagline —Powering our community, together — is also part of the name change.
“It’s an exciting time for our cooperative,” Fannin Electric Cooperative General Manager and CEO John Ed Shinpaugh said. “Though a small change, our new name better represents all the communities we now serve, and the new logo identifies who we are. The design pays homage to the great state of Texas, the electricity we distribute to the area and a star to symbolize our location in North Texas.”
When it was established more than 85 years ago, Fannin County Electric Cooperative primarily served residents of rural Fannin County, but also Grayson, Hunt, Lamar and Collin counties north of the Dallas Metroplex. Today, the cooperative’s membership is growing. As a percentage of load growth, Fannin Electric is the 19th fastest-growing cooperative in the United States out of 802, and the 10th fastest-growing co-op out of the 64 in Texas.
“The name Fannin Electric Cooperative stays true to our heritage, but also exemplifies the progress of electrifying more homes and businesses in our territory,” Shinpaugh said. “Farmers and ranchers helped form our co-op more than 85 years ago to secure electricity to better their lives. Today, we bring that same spirit of purpose and cooperation to the changing needs of a new generation of cooperative members.”
With a growing membership and evolving service area, Fannin Electric Cooperative is expanding, too. The co-op has outgrown its current space at 1530 Silo Road in Bonham and is in the process of building a new Bonham facility at 2201 FM 87. It’s set to open in summer 2024.
“We’ve been here more than 27 years and taken advantage of as much of the property as we can. There is no more available space,” said Fannin Manager of Member Services Colton Whisenhunt. “We, unfortunately, had to take away our training room and then a break area just to add more cubicles. We have no more room to expand.”
While the new building will better accommodate current staff and allow for future growth, it will also benefit members, according to the cooperative. There will be a drive-thru to conveniently conduct business.
Shinpaugh said the decision to construct a new headquarters and budget for it has long been under consideration by the co-op’s board of directors, and planning began well before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, we operate differently from other utilities,” he said. “At the end of each year when it’s determined how much revenue exceeds total expenses, the difference is assigned to members as capital credits based on the amount each member was billed for electricity.”
Fannin County Electric Co-op rebrands
Your questions answered
Why did the cooperative change its name to Fannin Electric Cooperative?
Fannin Electric Cooperative better represents who we are. We serve five counties (Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Lamar and Collin), and the co-op’s membership is growing. Fannin Electric is the 19th fastest growing cooperative in the United States out of 802, and the 10th fastest in the state of Texas out of 64.
Did more than just the name change?
Yes. The shortened name is part of an overall rebrand to highlight the co-op’s evolution since its founding in 1937. A new logo and tagline — Powering our community, together — are also part of the change.
Were the logo and tagline changes also necessary?
Our previous logo and tagline, "Owned by those we serve," was not unique to our cooperative. The image of our industry’s mascot, Willie Wiredhand, with the tagline was widely adopted by many electric cooperatives when we began operating.
The new logo identifies who we are. The design pays homage to the great state of Texas, the electricity we distribute to the area and a star to symbolize our location in North Texas.
Local partnerships are at the heart of our new motto. Farmers and ranchers helped form our co-op more than 85 years ago to secure electricity to better their lives. Today, we bring that same spirit of purpose and cooperation to the changing needs of a new generation of cooperative members.
Will the website and email addresses change?
Yes. Our website will soon transition to FanninEC.coop, and emails will end with this address.
When do the changes take effect?
The cooperative began updating collateral in August 2023, when changes were announced internally. The process should be complete by the end of 2023. For now, our current website, fcec.coop, and email address links will continue to work.
Do I need to update my records?
Yes. Please update your files to reflect our new name and write payments to Fannin Electric Cooperative. Our contact information remains the same. You can reach us through the same phone numbers, email addresses and mailing addresses as before. However, please update our name in your address book or contact list.
Did I also hear you are building a new headquarters?
Yes. The co-op has outgrown its current space at 1530 Silo Road in Bonham and is in the process of building a new Bonham facility at 2201 FM 87. It’s set to open in summer 2024.
Is my bill higher because of the changes?
No. The decision to build new headquarters and the budget for it have long been considered by the co-op’s board of directors, and planning began well before the COVID-19 pandemic.
How does the new headquarters benefit members?
There will be a drive-thru to conveniently do business with us.
How can I learn more about the rebrand?
Attend the co-op’s annual meeting. It will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, at Fannin County Multipurpose Complex, 700 FM 87, Bonham, TX 75418.
About Fannin Electric Cooperative
Fannin Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit distribution electric utility headquartered in Bonham, Texas. The cooperative has been serving the residents of Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Lamar and Collin counties since 1937.