Rutherford Electric Membership
501(c)(12)
Strong reserves Growing revenue
Rutherford Electric Membership is a 501(c)(12) organization based in Forest City, North Carolina, registered in 1961, with $167,749,291 in FY2024 revenue.
Po Box 1569, Forest City, NC, 28043 EIN 56-0386171 Since 1961
Revenue (FY2024)
$167.7M
▼ 2.6% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2024)
$167.7M
Net assets
$155.5M
Employees
201
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
—Program efficiency40% of the ratingNo expense breakdown in filings
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. Not scored for Rutherford Electric Membership— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating11 mo reserves · +0% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Rutherford Electric Membership: 11 mo reserves · +0% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Rutherford Electric Membership: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
BTransparency10% of the rating3 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Rutherford Electric Membership: 3 of 5 disclosure signals earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
To provide the best possible electric service to all who desire it within the system area at a reasonable cost consistent with the highest standards of service.
Contact & location
- Address
- Po Box 1569, Forest City, NC, 28043
- City
- Forest City
- State
- North Carolina
- Category
- —
- Subcategory
- —
- Phone
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $134.3M (FY2014) to $167.7M (FY2024) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $233.9MNet assets $155.5M
Operating margin
0.0%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$389.4M
Total liabilities
$233.9M
Net assets
$155.5M
Salaries & benefits
$17.9M
11% of expenses
Board members
10
10 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $167,749,291▼2.6% | $167,749,291▼2.6% | $155,470,392▲3.9% | $389,353,716▲5.7% | 990 |
| 2023 | $172,283,874▲11.3% | $172,283,874▲11.3% | $149,690,545▲6.2% | $368,355,438▲7.0% | 990 |
| 2022 | $154,765,252▲10.3% | $154,765,252▲10.3% | $140,966,716▲9.9% | $344,224,971▲3.5% | 990 |
| 2021 | $140,339,107▼0.6% | $140,339,107▼0.6% | $128,264,737▲5.7% | $332,630,081▲1.7% | 990 |
| 2020 | $141,217,343▲2.4% | $141,217,343▲2.4% | $121,400,277▲3.8% | $327,227,029▲2.0% | 990 |
| 2019 | $137,903,799▼2.5% | $137,903,799▼2.6% | $117,009,994▲2.7% | $320,841,491▲4.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $141,369,426▲4.7% | $141,657,492▲4.8% | $113,985,325▲11.6% | $306,959,919▲8.3% | 990 |
| 2017 | $134,961,995▼2.5% | $135,148,346▼2.3% | $102,103,148▼3.3% | $283,365,427▲2.9% | 990 |
| 2016 | $138,377,459▲1.0% | $138,270,723▲0.6% | $105,598,503▲1.0% | $275,474,325▲4.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $136,949,300▲2.0% | $137,451,737▲0.7% | $104,599,203▲0.7% | $264,624,442▲1.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $134,300,132 | $136,446,046 | $103,877,194 | $261,732,516 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: S Dirk Burleson — $355,539 (0.21% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| S Dirk Burleson | General Mana | 50 | $355,539 |
| Colon L Saunders | Vp-operation | 50 | $247,925 |
| Jeffrey C Brittain | Vp-engineeri | 50 | $218,124 |
| Randy C Ward | Vp-district | 50 | $192,595 |
| Brad Bridges | Director-dis | 50 | $174,061 |
| Tommy W Chapman | Vp-member & | 50 | $153,839 |
| J Dean Carpenter | President | 2.24 | $37,312 |
| Joseph N Quinn | Director | 2.25 | $37,273 |
| Marcus Mullen | Director | 3.13 | $36,245 |
| Jill P Lovell | Asst. Secret | 2.24 | $36,077 |
| Van Samuel Boyd | Director | 1.52 | $35,700 |
| Amy P Torvinen | Director | 1.45 | $35,451 |
| Robyn Houser | Treasurer | 2.54 | $34,576 |
| Robby R Eurey | Secretary | 1.71 | $21,969 |
| Joel Z Wakefield | Director | 2.38 | $20,764 |
| Timothy E Stowe | Vice Preside | 2.65 | $14,167 |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Williams Electric Company | Construction | $5,460,891 |
| Cruse Power Line | Construction | $2,892,921 |
| Wa Kendall and Company LLC | Reclearing | $2,762,820 |
| Lewis Tree Service Inc | Reclearing | $2,374,778 |
| Wolf Tree Inc | Reclearing | $1,783,933 |
Grants received · $123K total
8 grants to Rutherford Electric Membership totaling $123K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2024 | $15,871 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2023 | $15,871 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2022 | $15,871 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2021 | $15,101 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2020 | $15,101 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2019 | $15,101 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2018 | $15,101 |
| North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Educational assistance | 2017 | $15,101 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rutherford Electric Membership a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Rutherford Electric Membership is a 501(c)(12) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 56-0386171, based in Forest City, North Carolina.
- What is Rutherford Electric Membership's EIN?
- Rutherford Electric Membership's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 56-0386171.
- How much revenue does Rutherford Electric Membership report?
- Rutherford Electric Membership reported $167,749,291 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much does Rutherford Electric Membership's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Rutherford Electric Membership's latest Form 990 is $355,539, paid to S Dirk Burleson (General Mana).
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Data for Rutherford Electric Membership (EIN 56-0386171) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.