Risinger selected for co-op board

Allan Risinger of Batesburg-Leesville now represents fellow co-op members in District 2 of Mid-Carolina Electric's service area.

The books on the boardroom table — thick ones bearing titles like "MCEC Service Rules and Regulations" and "2007 Budget" — weren't exactly light reading.

New co-op trustee Allan Risinger, visiting Mid-Carolina Electric's Lexington office for an October 12 orientation session, acknowledged there was a lot to take in. "Just coming in here today is like drinking water from a fire hydrant," he joked. "It's a lot to learn."

But the Batesburg-Leesville resident, a banker in Lexington, also noticed that the co-op's Mission Statement, framed and displayed on the boardroom wall, sounded very familiar.

"The main focus here, as it should be in any business, is on your members, or your clients. I sense that the number one key for Mid-Carolina Electric is member relations. That fits my philosophy up and down. That's what's important to me in my line of business," he said.

Risinger, 43, is a senior vice president and business services officer for Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T). He started in banking in 1987 with Lexington State Bank, which was later purchased by BB&T.

"I tell my folks over at the bank, 'If it wasn't for the client, we wouldn't be here.' So our philosophies are very much in tune," Risinger said.

Deep co-op ties

He has been a co-op member since 1989. "I've lived in this area all my life," Risinger notes. His ties to the co-op also run deep.

Members of his family, as far back as his grandparents, have always been served by Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Risinger said.

He is keeping a tie to the land, running a small cattle operation. Risinger, his father and his son currently raise about 25 head of Black Angus.

Big shoes

Risinger was nominated by two sitting members to complete the term of Roy Frick, a retired poultry farmer who stepped down this summer for health reasons. Frick had served on Mid-Carolina Electric's board since 1981. "It was a high honor," Risinger said.

He had special praise for his predecessor. "I know Mr. Roy well. As I told the board during the selection process, with Mr. Roy, it's going to be big shoes to fill. He had many years of experience here on the co-op board. It's going to be a tough act to follow with him because he's a very good man — very knowledgeable. I have the highest respect for Mr. Roy."

'Growth, growth, growth ...'

Thanks to the guidance of Frick and other member-elected trustees, Risinger believes the co-op is well prepared to handle its biggest challenge, which he identifies as "growth, growth, growth and more growth."

"This area is growing tremendously," he said. But it's apparent that Mid-Carolina Electric's leadership has anticipated and prepared well to serve its burgeoning membership, Risinger said. He notes that the co-op's competitive rates and attention to quality service for its member-owners have earned it an excellent reputation throughout the community.

"Speaking for myself, I know when I have a problem, I can call and I get instant service," he notes. "I hear that, too, out in the community."

He says, "I've asked people before, 'Are you on Mid-Carolina? They've said, 'No, I'm just a mile away but I wish I could be there.'"

Community service

Risinger has several civic and community affiliations. He serves on the Lexington County Health Services Board, which is associated with Lexington Medical Center. He also is involved with Batesburg-Leesville's Chamber of Commerce's Economic Development Board and is a past chairman of the chamber.

Risinger is a deacon at Providence Baptist Church. He and his wife of 18 years, Kim, have two children. Their daughter, Ashley, is senior at Gilbert High School and their son, Matthew, is an eighth grader there.

A graduate of Gilbert High, Risinger received a business administration degree from The Citadel in 1986. He served in the S.C. Army National Guard. A veteran of Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Risinger retired as a captain. He was a combat engineer with the 122nd Engineers ROAC.

Related Links

MCEC Board Members »