Stretching South to the Montana border, EQUS’ South Service Area covers 76 townships and includes a vast amount of sparsely populated ranchlands. The South Area team is comprised of 20 employees including field and office staff. The team operates out of offices in both Claresholm and a new facility, opened in 2018, just outside of Medicine Hat. Working diligently together ensures members needs are met.

Team Leader, Trudi Alsgard (pictured) says the focus of their work is largely agricultural.

“Our members grow a wide variety of crops including corn, sugar beets, potatoes, grain, and specialty crops including catnip and hemp. We are very farm-focused in this area and there are a lot of very well-established specialty farms. We do have some residential acreage services, and there is definitely some commercial development coming up, but the majority of the area we serve involves ranches and farms.”

Due to the geographic nature of the area, water is not always accessible but is a necessity for agricultural producers in the area.

“Irrigation plays a key role for our farmers and is a huge part of our operations. This area is very susceptible to drought, so to mitigate the risk to crops, many producers have to run costly and complex irrigation systems. We currently have over 500 irrigation services and we expect the demand for those services to continue to grow as our members expand their farming operations. In order to grow with our members, we need to make sure that they’re happy and engaged.”

For Trudi and her team, maintaining good relationships with the members is key.

“When members have a need for electrical services, I want them to know who to reach out to and to know that we’ll get the job done. For our members to know the people on our team here means a lot. I want our members and communities to know us and to recognize us as the provider of choice.”

According to Trudi, community involvement is a team effort.

“We try to have a presence at as many of the community functions and fundraisers as we can. The staff fundraise for many different charities including donating backpacks to schools and rural mental health initiatives. There are lots of community groups and initiatives that are doing really neat things and providing much needed services for residents.”

“Each year, we volunteer and support the A-T Walk For A Cure in Fort Macleod which is a really great fundraiser for a rare genetic disease that affects children. Quonset Days in Seven Persons is another fundraiser we attend. It was started locally as a fundraiser for ALS, and over the years it has grown into a really great event that has raised over $400,000 and we’re really proud to be able to support that effort and to be a part of bringing people together for a good cause.”

“Our staff work and live in the communities we serve and providing knowledgeable and reliable service to members and the community is what brings the team together and builds quality relationships. Whenever we can support our members or team up with the community we’re happy to do that, and to do our part to help keep rural communities sustainable.”