Statewide Association Annual Meeting Celebrates 2023 Achievements and Prepares for New Leadership
The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC)—the trade association for Iowa’s electric cooperatives—held its 2023 annual meeting at the Sheraton West Des Moines Conference Center on December 7 and 8. There were more than 350 registered attendees. Directors and employees from Iowa’s locally owned electric cooperatives received informative updates from the statewide Board and staff, in addition to learning about industry trends and best practices from invited speakers.
“Our theme of ‘Powerful Connections’ explains one of the valuable services that a statewide association provides for its members,” remarked Roger Solomonson of Heartland Power Cooperative, who has completed his second and final year as IAEC Board President. “For example, the IAEC forms connections through lobbying efforts, our statewide magazine, social media, youth leaderships programs, and training events for employees and directors of Iowa’s electric cooperatives.”
IAEC Executive Vice President and General Manager Chuck Soderberg covered several topics during his executive report, including cybersecurity resources that are available to member cooperatives and the importance of embracing an “all-of-the-above” power generation strategy to ensure reliability for member-consumers. This was Soderberg’s final annual meeting report, as he plans to retire from the IAEC in July 2024.
During the business meeting portion, two directors were elected to the IAEC Board:
- Jerry Keleher of Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative was elected to serve a three-year term representing District 3, following Roger Solomonson’s departure.
- Gordon Greimann of Franklin Rural Electric Cooperative was reelected to serve a three-year term representing District 6.
The IAEC Board thanked Roger Solomonson for his leadership and service to Iowa’s electric cooperatives during his eight-year tenure. He was presented with a commemorative plaque during the business meeting in recognition of his exemplary service.
Following the annual meeting, the Board of Directors reorganized and voted on officers.
ECI REC Employees Honored at IAEC Annual Meeting
The IAEC honored several electric cooperative employees and directors who celebrated 25 years of service in 2023, including two members of ECI REC’s team:
- Mike Adams, inventory maintenance technician
- Doug Appelgate, SCADA technician
The IAEC also celebrated the first 15 graduates of its new Cooperative Leadership in Iowa Program (CLIP), including these ECI REC team members:
- Jennifer Schmitz, manager of finance
- Pat Hyland, system controller
Participants committed to a yearlong calendar of in-person, virtual, and on-demand training sessions, where they gained leadership skills and learned about various cooperative roles.
From ECI REC Leadership
“Congratulations to you both on 25 years! Mike is one of the most dedicated and devoted employees to keeping the shop clean and organized. We are lucky to have him as a friend and on our team. Doug strives for excellence in keeping ECI REC’s SCADA system up and working—we couldn’t do it without him.”
Operations Manager Tom Schmitt
“On behalf of ECI REC’s employees and the Board of Directors, we congratulate Jennifer and Pat on their successful completion of CLIP! Thank you for your dedication to ECI REC and its members. Jennifer served us for 25 years as a cost records supervisor and was promoted to manager of finance in 2020. Pat’s career includes 26 years as a lineworker and 5 years as an engineering design technician before he was promoted to system controller in 2021.”
CEO Teresa Floyd