Board of Director Elections
As a member of Linn County REC, you can run for the board of directors, serve on the nominating committee, and vote for directors at the annual meeting. We encourage members to take an active role in these election opportunities. All members, including joint memberships, are eligible.
2025 Annual Meeting
Join us online for the annual meeting Friday, September 26, 2025.
Meeting Agenda
8:45 am - Virtual Annual Meeting Room Opens
9:00 am - Business Meeting Begins
- Report of Nominating Committee
- Reading of Official Notice of Last Year's Minutes
- President & CEO's Report
- Election Returns
Log In Information
You can participate online via Zoom or by phone:
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86113115543?pwd=qDxlzOb5cwr6bm77x7dDl4aiFAf3nH.1
Enter Meeting ID: 861 1311 5543 and use Passcode: 374649
By Phone: Call 1-312-626-6799, Enter Meeting ID: 861 1311 5543 and use Passcode: 374649
The meeting will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel.
2025 Board of Director Elections
Our annual meeting is an opportunity for you to exercise one of the greatest benefits of being a member of an cooperative - voting for the board of directors. Members will be voting to elect directors in districts 1 and 5.
District 1:
- Rick Hannen, Center Point
- Wesley Nelson, Central City
- Kenny Squires, Center Point
District 5:
- Ben Garrett, Springville
- Lisa Rose, Springville
Vote Online or By Mail
We have partnered with Survey and Ballot Systems (SBS) to administer our voting and ballot validation process. SBS will tabulate our paper and online ballots. Candidate biographies are available below. All members may cast a vote regardless of the district they reside in. Learn more about our voting options below:
SMARTHUB
Vote online through SmartHub! Simply log in to your account and click the “vote now” button. Online voting is available from August 25 at 8:00 am through September 22. Don’t have a SmartHub account? Learn all the benefits and create an account here.
ONLINE
Vote online via the official 2025 Linn County REC Election website. Log in to www.directvote.net/LCRECIA. In the top left corner are your member number and election passcode. Use both of these to log in. Online voting is available from August 25 at 8:00 am through September 22.
MAIL BALLOT: Survey & Ballot Systems will mail out our ballots August 25th. Mail completed ballots back in the postage paid return envelope provided. Mail ballots must be received by SBS no later than September 22nd in order to be valid.
Members who vote online or by mail will be entered into a drawing for a $100 bill credit.
2025 Candidate Biographies
District 1: Rick Hannen
“I am a retired farmer. I also worked for 30 years for the local electric utility to pay for our farm. My wife and farming partner have been married for 58 years. We have two daughters and two granddaughters.
The electric utility business is changing because of the expansion of wind, solar (both utility and private), battery technology, electric vehicles, and time of day load shifting by consumers.
If elected I hope that my experience in electric power generation and transmission will be useful to help our cooperative navigate these changes.”
District 1: Wesley Nelson
Member Since: 2015
Occupation: Maine Township Clerk
- Public Accountant, 11 years performing REC audits.
- Finance Director/City Clerk/Treasurer, City of Marion for 30 years.
Activities/Organizations:
ISCPA, AICPA, GFOA (State of IA Rep), IIMC
- Appointment to the State of Iowa, City Finance Committee (Appointment by the Iowa Governor)
- Maine Township Clerk (Current until 12/31/26)
- Marion Methodist Church
- Marion Noon Lions (Treasurer/30 Years)
- Marion Turkey Trot (Treasurer/25 Years)
- Marion Boy Scout Troop 89 (Treasurer/10 Years)
What strengths would you bring to our board if elected? “As a CPA with extensive REC audit experience, a proven track record, and a solid Finance background I am eager to use this to assist the REC Board. In Public Accounting, I performed audits on REC’s involving all aspects of the audit including inventory, reviewing debt, confirmations, staff and management discussions, internal control and drafting, delivering and presenting audit reports to the REC Board of Directors. In running the City of Marion Finance Department, I was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Department including receipts, disbursements, investments, debt, TIF, etc., but also during that time assisted Linn County REC with TIF (Tax Increment Financing) with the former Manager.”
Short term/Long term goals: “To represent my District the best I can but also to complement the entire membership maintaining a financially sound, resourceful and transparent organization that exists for the benefit of all its members.”
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the co-op today? “There will always be pressures facing the REC and its members and if elected, I would address these and all other issues with the assistance of the other Board members/management and staff."
District 1: Kenny Squires
Member Since: 1959
Occupation: Farmer; I have successfully farmed for over 50 years and for the last 30 years, I have operated as a family farm corporation that operates over 2000 acres.
Activities/Organizations:
- Linn County REC Board; Vice President
- Trustee and Chairman of Men’s Group, Alice Methodist Church
- Linn County Corn Growers, Iowa Soybean Association
What strengths would you bring to our board if re-elected? “As a credentialed cooperative director, I continue to stay updated on changing environmental issues and on changes that affect the cooperative. I am conservative, dependable, am open to listen and address issues. My core ethical values are honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect and compassion.”
Short term/Long term goals: “I want to stay updated and educated on the changes affecting the distribution of electricity. Then, I want to keep Linn County REC progressive and a leader in technology. I also want to continue to keep Linn County REC a leader in environmental changes and green issues. Finally, I want to continue keeping our members first, which includes paying capital credits and providing reliable power.”
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the co-op today? “As a not-for-profit cooperative, our goal is to continue providing reliable service at an affordable price. Currently, additional regulations are increasing our costs, and as a co-op, we want to keep our rates affordable to our members. With the potential restart of Duane Arnold, it would be crucial for supplying power to data centers looking to establish themselves in our territory.
One of the main legislative issues that keeps arising is territory protection, which is essential for maintaining stable rates. If we lose our designated area, it could negatively impact our pricing.”
District 5: Ben Garrett
Member since: 2022
Occupation: Self-employed; sole operator of The Gaming Monastery LLC.
Previously employed as an Analytical Reporting Analyst with Transamerica. Had been with Transamerica for 6 years as a Financial Analyst
What strengths would you bring to our board if elected? “I would bring analytical strengths that would help me assess and appropriately tackle any issues that may arise. I am calm and cool headed, and have a background in finance which will help me look at ways to efficiently use the budget to help make improvements to services for members and save the cooperative money. Agile/scrum planning for project management.”
Short term/Long term goals: “Short term goals are to get myself acclimated to the inner workings of the co-op so that I can start contributing as quickly as possible. Long-term goals would be to help maintain costs while helping improve services for members. Would also like to help save the Co-op money in the long haul.”
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the co-op today? “I believe there are a couple of big issues that will always be considered big issues in today’s day and age. These are maintaining meaningful growth while making sure that your level of service and reliability does not drop off. Another issue is cybersecurity. This will always be a big area of concern as technology continues to advance, the ability for bad people to infiltrate sensitive information will continue to advance as well.”
District 5: Lisa Rose
Member since: 1982
Occupation: Retired Program Management and Business Development Executive
Activities/Organizations:
- Board Member, Linn County REC
- Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church
What strengths would you bring to our board if re-elected? “Large account management and expansion, client relationship management, new business development, consultative sales and marketing, motivational leadership and team management, creative and resourceful crisis management, revenue generation and profitability.”
Short term/Long term goals: “In an ever-changing industry it is important to stay abreast of the local, regional and national issues that are facing or could potentially face Linn County REC. My short-term goal is to continue to build my knowledge and to stay abreast of electric cooperative issues by 1.) attending National Rural Electric Cooperative Assoc. (NRECA) courses/activities, 2.) understanding local, state and national legislation and its potential impact to the REC and 3.) interacting with board members of other electric cooperatives. I want to work alongside other board members and the Linn County REC leadership to represent members on all issues that could potentially impact the cooperative (operations, legislative, community, financial, safety, renewable energy, reliability, etc.) and to ensure that we adhere to the guiding principles of the cooperative.”
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the co-op today? “The big issues continue to be reliability, affordability, cyber security, and AI. These factors need to be at the forefront of all decisions that impact the co-op and its members.”
2024 Annual Meeting Minutes
Review the minutes of last years annual meeting minutes below:
