Annual meeting organizes democratically elected board for upcoming year
Representatives from the member-owners of Great River Energy met June 4 to perform their annual review of the board of directors and elect leadership for the year ahead.
These annual meetings are an essential component of the cooperative business model. Cooperatives are governed by directors who are elected from among the membership. This annual process ensures the board upholds its purpose and consists of a fair representation of the member-owners.
Great River Energy directors are assigned to committees representing key functions of the cooperative, such as transmission, power supply and finance.
At the 2025 annual meeting, Mike Brasel (Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Pelican Rapids) was elected chair; Randy Hlavka (McLeod Cooperative Power Association, Glencoe) was elected vice chair; Mike Littfin (Arrowhead Cooperative, Inc., Lutsen) was re-elected secretary; and Nancy Utke (Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative Electrical Association, Park Rapids) was elected treasurer.
“The directors of Great River Energy take seriously our responsibility to provide our cooperative members with electric service that is reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible,” Brasel said. “It is an honor to be elected chair of this group of dedicated men and women at an exciting time for electric cooperatives.”
In addition to the officers, the following directors were elected to Great River Energy’s board:
- Gary Stenzel, BENCO Electric Cooperative, Mankato
- Bill Berg, Brown County Rural Electrical Association, Sleepy Eye
- Kyle Weideman, Cooperative Light & Power, Two Harbors
- Bill Middlecamp, Dakota Electric Association, Farmington
- Margaret Schreiner, Dakota Electric Association, Farmington
- Lonnie Johnson, East Central Energy, Braham
- Linda Laitala, East Central Energy, Braham
- David Hernke, Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association, Zumbrota
- Dale Anderson, Kandiyohi Power Cooperative, Spicer
- Bob Bruckbauer, Lake Country Power, Cohasset
- Craig Olson, Lake Country Power, Cohasset
- Harold Harms, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative, Aitkin
- Lee York, Nobles Cooperative Electric, Slayton
- Lloyd Kongsjord, North Itasca Electric Cooperative, Inc., Bigfork
- Andy Anderson, Runestone Electric Association, Alexandria
- Greg Blaine, Stearns Electric Association, Melrose
- PJ Duchene, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Owatonna
- Michael Thorson, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, Wadena
- Erick Heinz, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association, Rockford
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