Board Members and Employees
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Meet the North West REC Board of Directors:
Board of Directors Information
Who Serves on the Board?
NWREC has four Director Districts and eleven total directors. The Director districts are shown in the graphic below. The number of directors for each district was determined at the time of the Consolidation based on the number of members that resided in each District. The Districts represent the service area of the four cooperatives that consolidated to form North West REC. Members nominate director candidates by District and vote by District.
One of the most important benefits of being a co-op owner is that you have a voice in how the co-op operates. Member-owners democratically elect the co-op’s local board of directors, who must also be member-owners. These directors serve members local interests in governing the cooperative. Make sure to attend our annual meeting each year in March to exercise your right to vote as an owner. During the meeting, co-op member-owners vote in director elections, review the cooperative financials and vote on any other cooperative business such as proposed bylaw amendments. You also have an opportunity to talk directly to co-op staff and your board of directors.
How to become a director?
Directors serve 4 year terms. When their term is up, if they want to continue to serve they must run for re-election. Each year at our Cooperative's Annual Meeting we officially vote and elect or re-elect members to serve a four year term on our Board of Directors.
Prior to the Annual Meeting (which is typically held in March or April) in November or December our Board of Directors selects members to serve on the Committee on Nominations. This committee meetings in January to select nominees for election to the Board of Directors of North West REC. They are then voted on and elected at the Annual Meeting of the Cooperative.
We publish the names and contact information for the members of the Committee on Nominations in our March Newsletter, (the newsletter is mailed out to all the members monthly), you can contact one of the nominating committee members in your district if you have any interest in running for the Board of Directors or you know of any member that would be interested.
Prior to the Annual Meeting we mail out a packet of information to all our member that includes an Annual Report, information pertaining the the meeting, director candidate information, and a director ballot with a prepaid return envelope. Members must vote and return their ballot to the cooperative before the annual meeting in order to be counted in the election. Mail in voting provides a greater opportunity for all members to have the chance to vote if they are unable to get to the meeting. Ballots are then counted by the Committee on Nominations and results announced at the Annual Meeting of the Cooperative.
What does it take to be a Director?
The Cooperatives' bylaws establish that a director must be a member, individually, and a bona-fide resident of the district from which they are elected to represent.
Director Qualifications
- Attend all regular monthly board meetings. The Board holds daytime meetings usually scheduled for the last Thursday of each month. Meetings last approximately six hours.
- Attend the annual meeting of the Cooperative.
- Attend meetings of related organizations such as Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, Federated Insurance, and others, when necessary.
- Read and be familiar with information, data and reports received from cooperative management, national, state and other local associations.
- Establish and maintain contact with members of the Cooperative in his or her locale.
- Work in harmony with the other members of the Board and employees for the good of all members of the Cooperative.
- Attend special meetings of the Board, or of committees to which assigned by the president.
Employee Listing
Curt Ahrenholz - Finance and Office Service Director
Douglas Alons - Operations Director
Tracy Bahrenfuss - Journeyman Lineman
Mike Berkenpas - Lead Lineman (Le Mars)
Brandon Bonnema - Journeyman Lineman
Gina Christoffel - Customer Service Representative
Kobe Culver - Apprentice Lineman
Rob Driesen - Member Service Director
Phillip Elgersma - Lead Lineman (Orange City)
Lee Galles - Member Energy Advisor
Adam Gesink - Journeyman Lineman
Derrick Haak - Assistant Operations Director
Jonathon Heiliger - Apprentice Lineman
Steve Heilman - Apprentice Lineman
Debra Herzberg - General Accountant
Tim Honkomp - Lead Lineman (Primghar)
Alex Jungers - Journeyman Lineman
Tyler Kallemeyn - Accountant
Dusty Koele - Journeyman Lineman
Andrew Koenen - Material/Warehouse Coordinator
Lyle Korver - CEO and General Manager
Julee Kovarna - Billing Coordinator
Luke Lathrop - Journeyman Lineman
Robin Maassen - Apprentice Lineman
Kenneth Miller - Metering & Load Management Technician
Justin Nippert - Journeyman Lineman
Derald Philips - Safety and Loss Control Director
Megan Pick - Customer Service/Accounting Office Assistant
Sidney Pitt - Apprentice Lineman
Matt Roberts - Journeyman Lineman
Hunter Rockman - Apprentice Lineman
Tony Rolfes - Journeyman Lineman
Gaylen Schneider - Member Service & Metering Advisor
Brent Van Beek - Member Energy Advisor
Sheila Van Beek - Operations Coordinator
Emily Vander Velde - Communications/Member Service Coordinator
James Vondrak - Information Technology Director
Doug White - Lead Lineman (Ida Grove)
Scott Wubben - Journeyman Lineman
Renee Wynia - Executive Assistant/HR Coordinator
We have many experienced employees that make up the office staff, the member services department, and the operations department. Feel free to call the office (1.800.766.2099) to contact our staff if you have any questions or comments.
