May 2026 | Ownership Starts with the Little Things

Posted: May 1, 2026 at 8 a.m.

By Sean J. Vanslyke | sean@gosemo.com

I often introduce myself as the Chief Custodian. Not CEO. Not General Manager. Chief Custodian. Why? Because I believe safety begins with cleanliness. It takes very little effort to pick up a piece of trash or take the garbage out when the can is full. Those small actions matter. They create a culture. They show pride. They say, “This place matters.” And if we are honest, it is not just about buildings or workspaces. It is about life.

I recently saw a photo of myself—well, a version of me (shown here). It started as a real picture and turned into a caricature using AI—artificial intelligence, which is technology that allows machines to learn and make decisions in ways that mimic human thinking. It made me laugh. Technology can do some amazing things. But here is what it cannot do—at least not yet. AI cannot take out the trash… unless you have purchased a robot. And most of us have not.

There is still a need for people. For effort. For ownership. For someone to notice the little things and do something about them. That is true at home. That is true at work. That is true in our cooperative. Personal responsibility still matters. It reminds me of something I recently read in The Motive by Patrick Lencioni: “If we can restore the collective attitude that leadership is meant to be a joyfully difficult and selfless responsibility, I am convinced that we will see companies become more successful, employees more engaged and fulfilled, and society more optimistic and hopeful. Perhaps people will stop using the term servant leadership altogether because everyone will understand that it is the only valid kind. And that is certainly worth doing.”

That is what being a Chief Custodian is really about. Doing the little things. Serving others. Taking responsibility—especially when no one is watching.

You will see that on display at our 2026 Annual Meeting on May 14 at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds. This year’s meeting will be a drive-thru event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We will go live several times on Facebook—so wave when you see the camera. Members will be asked to approve the minutes from the 2025 annual meeting, approve the 2025 financial statements, and elect four directors—one each from Bollinger/Stoddard Counties, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, and Cape Girardeau County—to the SEMO Electric Board of Directors. All electric members (one per household) who participate will receive a $15 bill credit and a participation gift.

Because in the end, reliability, safety, and service do not just come from big decisions. They come from people willing to take out the trash. Keep Pushing Forward.

Vanslyke is general manager and chief executive officer

of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber

This AI-generated image, created from an actual photograph of Sean Vanslyke taking out the trash, shows what technology can do—but it still can’t replace people doing the little things.

Sean Vanslyke of SEMO Electric Cooperative, left, Joe Wilkinson of Associated Electric Cooperative, center, and John Singleton of M&A Electric Power Cooperative represent the strength of the three-tier cooperative system—working together from local distribution to generation and transmission, proving that reliable power comes from people willing to do the work, even the little things.