On March 4, 2025, Electric Research Manufacturing Cooperative, Inc’s. (ERMCO) Talent Acquisition Supervisor, Brad Whittle, received the honor of speaking to the Tennessee General Assembly House of Representatives Education Committee at the state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn.

Whittle shared insights into ERMCO’s role in transformer manufacturing and highlighted the company’s operations in Tennessee, with locations in the state’s three grand divisions – Greeneville (east Tennessee), Celina (middle Tennessee), and company headquarters in Dyersburg (west Tennessee).

He also emphasized ERMCO’s ongoing commitment to investing in the future workforce, particularly through its contributions to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and CTE (Career Technical Education). Since 2022, ERMCO has donated more than $500,000 to support West Tennessee-based schools in Dyersburg, Dyer County, and Obion County.

Speaking to the committee, Whittle said, “In today’s rapidly evolving world, it is imperative that we equip our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a global workplace. CTE and STEM education provide this by fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and technical skills that are essential for success in our industry.”

The opportunity to address the committee was through Dyersburg City Schools. Dyersburg Middle School’s STEM/Plus 1 students were invited to present an engineering project made possible by ERMCO’s investment and involvement with the school system’s STEM initiatives.

ERMCO’s ongoing investment in education continues to play a significant role in shaping the next generation of skilled 

workers and leaders.

About ERMCO, Inc.
ERMCO, Inc. is North America’s leading manufacturer of liquid-filled distribution transformers and power solutions for the utility, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Dyersburg, Tenn., ERMCO and its affiliates, ECI-Greeneville, ECI-Bristol, ERMCO-GridBridge, ERMCO-Power Partners, ERMCO-Pioneer Transformers, and ERMCO-V&F Transformer employ more than 3,500 team members across North America. Offering a full range of pole and pad mounted transformers, related components and power solutions for global utilities, ERMCO is proud to be the industry’s Most Valued Partner. ERMCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI). For more information, please visit www.ermco-eci.com.