Great River Energy annual meeting shares past success, future plans
June 11, 2010 – Maple Grove, Minn. – Approximately 250 electric cooperative leaders gathered for Great River Energy’s annual meeting at the cooperative’s headquarters facility in Maple Grove, Minn. on June 9. Company leaders shared highlights from the past year and their outlook for 2010 and beyond.
“Our triple bottom line of affordable rates, reliable electric service and environmental stewardship continues to guide our business,” said Great River Energy President and CEO David Saggau. “In 2009, we focused heavily on rate affordability and we achieved results for our membership. Our rates remain 6.4 percent below the weighted regional average cost of wholesale electricity.”
Great River Energy Board of Directors Chair Don Holl recapped the cooperative’s 2009 highlights, including a company effort to minimize rate increases, a credit rating upgrade from Standard and Poor’s and the completion and dedication of the DryFining system, Great River Energy’s first-of-its kind coal drying technology.
“We have taken the necessary steps to guide Great River Energy through these difficult times,” said Holl. “We have charted our course to keep Great River Energy financially sound and assure electricity remains reliable and affordable.”
During the board of directors’ reorganization meeting following the annual meeting, Don Holl (Connexus Energy, Ramsey) was re-elected board chair; Bruce Leino (North Itasca Cooperative, Inc., Bigfork) was elected board vice chair; Jim Haasis, (East Central Energy, Braham) was elected secretary; and Clay Van De Bogart (Dakota Electric Association, Farmington) was re-elected treasurer.
Also, during the annual meeting, the following directors were re-elected to Great River Energy’s 29-member board:
• Harold Jacobson, Agralite Electric Cooperative, Benson
• Howard Abrahamson, Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Inc., Lutsen
• Brad Leiding, BENCO Electric Cooperative, Mankato
• Reuben Kokesch, Brown County Rural Electrical Association, Sleepy Eye
• James Leroux, Connexus Energy, Ramsey
• Peggy Kuettel, Cooperative Light and Power, Two Harbors
• Robert Kangas, Crow Wing Power, Brainerd
• Don T. O’Brien, Crow Wing Power, Brainerd
• Carl Potter, Dakota Electric Association, Farmington
• Robert Thompson, East Central Energy, Braham
• David Hernke, Goodhue County Cooperative Electric, Zumbrota
• Royce Peterson, Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative, Park Rapids
• Howard Powers, Kandiyohi Power Cooperative, Willmar
• Robert Bruckbauer, Lake Country Power, Grand Rapids
• Sherman Liimatainen, Lake Country Power, Grand Rapids
• Jack Lacey, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Pelican Rapids
• Lester Ranzau, McLeod Cooperative Power Association, Glencoe
• Jim Wirz, Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association, Litchfield
• Dennis Lamke, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative, Aitkin
• Henry A. Hanson, Nobles Cooperative Electric, Worthington
• Bill O’Brien, Runestone Electric Association, Alexandria
• Bruce Falk, South Central Electric Association, St. James
• Dennis O’Donnell, Stearns Electric Association, Melrose
• Gary Wilson, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Owatonna
• Michael Thorson, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, Wadena
About Great River Energy
Great River Energy is a not-for-profit cooperative which provides wholesale electric service to 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Those member cooperatives distribute electricity to more than 639,000 member consumers – or about 1.7 million people. With $3 billion in assets, Great River Energy is the second largest electric power supplier in Minnesota and one of the largest generation and transmission (G&T) cooperatives in the United States. Great River Energy’s member cooperatives range from those in the outer-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities to the Arrowhead region of Minnesota to the farmland of southwestern Minnesota. Great River Energy’s largest distribution cooperative serves more than 120,000 member-consumers; the smallest serves about 2,400.
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Contact:Dan Becchetti
763-445-5706
