Case Study
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GO-Live Date
November 12, 2025
Trusted Web Experts
Caleigh Pickard
Web Solutions consultant
Stacey Horton
Project Manager
Mehran Aziz
Web Development
Jack Kenzler
Layout Design
Katie Morman
Content Visualization
Nikki Vanderkooi
Content Strategy & Integration
Tabi Kashif
Content Integration
Heather Clark
Quality Assurance
Beth Leffel
CMS Training & Website Launch
Leanna Thesken
Design Intake & Marketing
Deanna Frimann
Resource Alloaction
Goals
Overview
Evolving for a Growing Membership
For generations, Haywood Electric Membership Corporation (Haywood EMC) has delivered safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to the rural communities of Western North Carolina. As the region continues to expand, new residents from urban areas are joining the cooperative for the first time– many unfamiliar with how a member-owned utility operates or what makes it different from larger, investor-owned power companies. This shift presented an opportunity for Haywood EMC to reintroduce itself to a changing audience while reaffirming the values that have guided it for more than 85 years.
To meet the needs of both longtime members and newcomers, Haywood EMC partnered with Powerful to redesign its website. The goal was to create an experience that feels modern, intuitive, and approachable– one that educates visitors about the cooperative model while making it easier to engage online.
Designing for the Future While Honoring the Past
Haywood EMC faced an important communication task: connecting with new residents while continuing to serve and engage its longtime members. The redesigned website needed to speak to both audiences– educating those unfamiliar with the cooperative model while maintaining the trust and familiarity valued by existing members.
Through Powerful’s premium design option, Haywood EMC gained the flexibility to create a site that met those goals with clarity and authenticity. The homepage prominently displays their slogan “Proudly Powering the Needs of Our Community”– an immediate reminder that every decision the cooperative makes is rooted in service.
Visual elements inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains—warm greens, golds, and natural textures—ground the design in place and purpose. Clean typography, and accessible navigation make information easy to absorb, guiding visitors naturally toward key actions like bill pay, outage reporting, and SmartHub access.
More than a redesign, the project strengthened how Haywood EMC shares the cooperative difference. The premium design brought their values of service, transparency, and community to life in a modern digital experience. It helps educate new members about what it means to be part of a cooperative while reassuring longtime members that every interaction, online or in person, reflects the same commitment to the people they serve.
Engaging Every Member, New & Familiar
Haywood EMC’s goal to increase engagement was rooted in a simple idea: make the website a space members want to visit, not just a place they go when something goes wrong. The redesigned homepage was built to be both functional and inviting, encouraging visitors to explore beyond day-to-day tasks. Eye-catching images, bold headlines, and brief, approachable text highlight key services and programs. Clear buttons guide visitors to internal pages where they can learn more or take action—turning curiosity into participation and helping reduce the number of phone calls and emails coming into the office.
The premium homepage also plays a vital role in welcoming new members who may be unfamiliar with the cooperative model. Interactive sections feature community initiatives such as scholarships, youth programs, and local fundraisers—real examples of Cooperative Principle #7, Concern for Community, in action. These highlights show that Haywood EMC’s impact reaches far beyond powering homes; it’s about empowering the people and places they serve.
A dynamic calendar and news feed keep information current and accessible, offering updates on upcoming meetings, events, and community projects. Together, these features create an engaging experience that reflects the cooperative’s ongoing commitment to transparency and connection. Whether members are logging in to pay a bill or simply catching up on the latest news, the site provides a clear, modern way to stay involved and informed.
Challenges
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Haywood EMC wanted a website that reflected the same authenticity and character as the communities it serves. The cooperative’s territory spans from misty ridgelines to quiet pastures, from small towns to forested backroads—places defined by resilience and connection. As more people relocated from urban areas seeking that slower pace and mountain charm, Haywood EMC saw an opportunity to tell its story in a way that would resonate with both new and lifelong residents.The challenge was to design something modern without losing what makes the cooperative different. The website needed to show progress without feeling polished to the point of disconnect. It had to communicate that Haywood EMC is both forward-thinking and familiar—modern in design, but unmistakably local in spirit.
Solutions
To express that connection, Powerful designed a custom illustrated footer that captures the spirit of Haywood EMC’s territory in a single sweeping landscape. The artwork stretches across the base of each page, tying together the diverse features of Haywood EMC’s territory: dairy farms and grazing elk in the north, dense forests and waterfalls in the south, and the Blue Ridge Parkway weaving between them. It’s a tribute to the land and people who define the cooperative’s story.The illustrated footer gives the modern layout warmth and texture, ensuring the site feels connected to place even as it embraces new technology. Visitors scrolling through are met with a design that feels intentional and human-- something that could only belong to Haywood EMC. It quietly reinforces the cooperative difference: a member-owned organization that leads with service, community, and pride in where it comes from.
Results
The illustrated footer captures the diversity of Haywood EMC’s service area and the growth taking place across it. From dairy farms and grazing elk in the north to waterfalls, dense forests, and lakes in the south, the artwork reflects the variety of landscapes that define the cooperative’s territory and the communities within it. As new residents move into the area and experience cooperative membership for the first time, the illustration connects them to that story. It shows a cooperative that continues to grow in reach and capability while staying grounded in the people and landscapes that define it.The design embodies the spirit of their slogan, “Proudly Powering the Needs of Our Community.” It communicates progress with authenticity and gives every page a sense of belonging. The illustrated footer ties modern design to local character, leaving visitors with a clear impression of who Haywood EMC is and what it stands for. It represents a cooperative evolving for a new generation of members while remaining true to its roots.
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Quotes
Team Comments
The community that Haywood EMC serves has seen rapid growth over the past year and needed a website that was bold, welcoming, and shared their unique story with their new members. By going the premium design route, they had the flexibility to cater to their site visitors in a way that made them feel at home. Leaning into a natural color palette that resembled the temperate rainforest, adding playful dot textures, and highlighting well-known landmarks in their illustrated footer, provided the depth and community connection that the team was looking for. This was such a fun project and the Haywood team was a true pleasure to work with!
Project Manager
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