November 2025 | Byford, Mulcahy Receive National Honors

Posted: November 1, 2025 at 9 a.m.

By Sean J. Vanslyke | sean@gosemo.com

Strong leadership at SEMO Electric Cooperative continues to bring national recognition that benefits our members right here at home. By developing leaders, our cooperative is better positioned to serve member-owners, strengthen our team, and keep making people’s lives better in southeast Missouri.

At the Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative (U2030) Annual SPARK Meeting in Seattle, two of Team SEMO’s own were honored.

Angie Byford was named a 2025 Women Who SPARK Award winner, a highly competitive recognition that includes nominees from some of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities and co-ops. Angie exemplifies bold leadership – driving change, championing innovation, and lifting others along the way.

Britney Mulcahy graduated from RADIATE, U2030’s Women’s Leadership Program, an intensive experience focused on leadership development, innovation, and building skills that help utilities serve their communities better. Britney’s graduation shows her dedication to growth as a leader and her commitment to our cooperative’s success.

This is not the first time Team SEMO has been honored at U2030. Becky Ivester received a Women Who SPARK Award in 2022, showing that leadership from our cooperative continues to shine on the national stage.

I was honored to serve as a leadership speaker at this year’s event and to personally witness Angie and Britney being recognized. Their achievements make me incredibly proud and, more importantly, bring value back to our cooperative and the communities we serve.

Book of the Month: “Stories are important. Stories help us discover who we are and inspire us to envision who we still can become. To poison a person, poison the stories he reads. To demoralize a person, tell her demoralizing stories. You will only ever be as spiritually healthy as the stories you read, listen to, and tell yourself. We become these stories. That’s how powerful stories are. The things you say to other people contribute to the story they listen to over and again in their minds. Your words may contribute positively or negatively to that narrative.” – From The Forgotten Way by Matthew Kelly

Be smart. Act safely. Keep pushing forward!

Sean is the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber.

Team SEMO’s Angie Byford (left) and Britney Mulcahy (center) were recognized at the Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative Annual SPARK Meeting, joined by CEO Sean Vanslyke. Their achievements bring national recognition back home – strengthening SEMO Electric Cooperative’s ability to serve member-owners and communities in southeast Missouri.