Historic Louisiana

SLEMCO
✧
SLEMCO CEO and General Manager
J. U. Gajan.
HISTORIC LOUISIANA
106
Locally owned and operated since 1937,
SLEMCO (Southwest Louisiana Electric
Membership Corporation) is a multi-million
dollar corporation and is the largest electrical
company of its kind in the state. The
company provides over 80,000 customers in
eight Louisiana parishes along some 8,500
miles of line with quality electric service at
rates among the lowest in Louisiana.
Formed because of the need to bring
electricity to the rural areas of southwest
Louisiana, the company owes much to its
founding leaders. Among them were M.W.
Scanlan of Church Point, Mrs. B.W. Spell of
Ridge, Dr. E. Lafleur and H. F. Young of
Opelousas, Lucius Leblanc of Arnaudville, A.
F. Arceneaux of Lafayette, J. P. Gray of Iota,
and Daniel Thibodeaux of St. Martinville.
The direction of the company has been
steered straight and true by successive board
members and management leaders that have
included Harry Bowles, 1938-41; U. J. Gajan,
1941-79; Herman J. Kesel, 1979-85; Leon J.
Mocek, 1985-96; and J. U. Gajan, 1996-present.
Today, SLEMCO has over $230 million in
electric plant facilities with another $7 million
in construction work in progress. Gross
revenues exceed $103 million and some 265
employees receive nearly $16 million in
wages and benefits. The overall contribution
of the company to the economy exceeds $1
billion a year.
Once every home, farm or business in
Acadiana had electricity, the quality of life here
greatly improved. From lighting to food
preservation to increased productivity on
farms—families and businesses were able to
truly meet and exceed their potential, setting
ever-higher goals for themselves and their
families. Many older customers still remember
what life was like before electricity and
gratefully remember when SLEMCO brought
them power.
Because of this initial bond with its
customers, the company naturally evolved into
one deeply enmeshed in local communities
and is well known by urban and rural citizens
alike as a trusted community leader.
Continually working to improve life for its
customers, employees and area citizens while
strengthening its core business of electric
distribution, SLEMCO has become involved in
many necessary community functions.
Improving the quality of and access to
higher education has become one of the
company’s most important goals. SLEMCO has
contributed endowed professorships to every
college at the University of Louisiana at
Lafayette. And, since 1992, two hundred
college scholarships have been awarded to
customers and their children in an effort to
better educate and strengthen the workforce of
the area.
Economic development is also an
important part of SLEMCO’s efforts to
improve life in Acadiana. The Enterprise
Center of Louisiana, a business incubator
devoted to assisting and strengthening young
and growing businesses, was created by the
company and has resulted in new start-up
companies employing local people. SLEMCO
employees work with state economic
development officials to attract new industry
to the area to stimulate job growth and
improve the economy.
The needy have not escaped notice, and
together with contributing customers,
SLEMCO, since 1995, has made over $1.4
million in grants to needy individuals through
its Operation Round-Up program. Artificial
limbs, life-saving medical equipment,
eyeglasses, food and prescription drugs have
been donated to those less fortunate with
nowhere else to turn.
The terrorist assault on our nation on
September 11, 2001, affected the employees