Barnes mixes business with community activism
By ROYCE ARMSTRONG
Homes and businesses on the Gulf Coast will pay a little less for electric power if Ron Barnes has his way.
Ron Barnes, vice president of marketing and public relations for Coast Electric Power Association, is working to promote programs giving incentives to people who build or retrofit energy-efficient homes.
“Ron was one of the leaders to come up with the guidelines for Comfort Advantage,” said Bruce Marie, vice president of purchasing for Coast Electric. “The program provides incentives for people who build a home to certain standards, including insulation levels, insulated windows, insulated doors and uses an energy efficient heat pump system.”
Marie explains that Comfort Advantage is a program developed for, and used by, electric power associations throughout the state. Barnes was instrumental in both proposing the program and writing its guidelines.
“He has gotten himself and some of his team heavily involved in the Homebuilders Association to form relationships with those people so that we can get our message across,” Marie said.
Building more energy efficient homes is just one way that Barnes is working to help people along the Gulf Coast save on their energy bills. Another is a program that encourages people to use electric power during off peak times.
In addition to his work at Coast Electric, Barnes is involved with promoting efficiently using electric power through both the statewide and regional associations.
Barnes, though, is quick to downplay any personal accomplishments, preferring to credit his “team.”
“He was the perfect boss,” Marie said. Marie worked in Barnes’s department for several years. “He always stressed that we work as a team. Sometimes he was annoyingly optimistic.”
“Ron sets very high professional standards,” said Lori Freeman, manager of communications for Singing River Electric Power Association, a sister company also serving South Mississippi. Freeman said that she has worked with Barnes on projects involving the two companies over the past 14 years. “In casual conversation he always talks about his family. His wife and his children are very important to him.”
A native of Jackson, Barnes met the former Angel Parker, when they were both students at the University of Southern Mississippi. They eventually married and now have four children, ranging in age from 21 to 10 years old.
Their two oldest daughters are in college. They have a son in high school and a daughter in elementary school.
Barnes joined Coast Electric Power Association 14 years ago because of a golf tournament. At the time he was a regional director with the Boy Scouts of America and was instrumental in organizing and putting on a benefit golf tournament in Gulfport.
One of the golfers, Bob Occhi, the president and CEO for Coast Electric, invited him to lunch, outlined his vision for the company’s corporate communications and asked Barnes if he was interested. After some soul-searching, Barnes accepted the challenge.
“I come from a middle class background and am very much a product of a strong work ethic,” Barnes said.
Just as with so many others along the Gulf Coast, Hurricane Katrina was a defining point for the Barnes’s.
“Hurricane Katrina changed all of us,” said Barnes. “It certainly made me appreciate what I had because we lost our house and everything that we had in it.”
The Barneses are members of the Heritage United Methodist Church of D’Iberville.
“Ron has been a real asset to the church,” said his pastor, the Rev. David Cumbest. “He has served in several roles, the latest of which is our stewardship chairperson.”
He has also been involved in the recovery and redevelopment of the Coast through the United Way of South
Mississippi.
“I love to work with Ron,” said Hannah Bell, the director of marketing and resource development for the United Way, “and over the past five years I have seen him demonstrate his love of community over and over again. He has all of the characteristics of a great leader. He makes himself available. He has volunteered in almost every aspect of the organization. This is his second time to serve on the United Way board. Without volunteers like Ron, it would be difficult for us.”
In addition to his work through the United Way and his church, Barnes has continued to be heavily involved in the Boy Scouts. In addition to being a Scout leader, he has served on the council board of directors for about 14 years. He has also been involved with the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, the Heart
Association, and very involved in youth sports as a coach.
Looking forward, Barnes said, “My goal has always been to create really a team atmosphere here at Coast Electric, so I will continue to work toward that end. I have a young, very professional staff. I would like to be a mentor to each and every one of them.
“We have done market research that says 18-34 year-olds are not connecting in the same ways that traditional media has connected with them,” Barnes said. “We are trying to improve our communications through our Web presence and through a social media plan.”