HAYS — Sunflower Electric Power Corp. held its 56th annual meeting at Pioneer Electric Cooperative Inc. in Ulysses on May 17. The board of directors received the annual report of the corporation, which is available on the Sunflower website, and elected officers for the upcoming year.
Stuart Lowry, Sunflower’s president and chief executive officer, and other key staff discussed current and future projects.
Keynote speaker Ed Cross, president of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, spoke to the importance of oil and gas to the national economy and gave an overview of the type of drilling activity that is expected in south central Kansas and northern Oklahoma.
Following the board meeting, an organizational meeting was conducted by the board to elect leadership for the coming year.
Charles McK. Ayers, a representative of Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc., was elected to succeed Loren Ochs as chairman of the board of directors. Ochs, a representative of The Victory Electric Cooperative Association Inc., had served on Sunflower’s board of directors for 34 years.
Jim Imel, a representative of Victory, was elected vice chairman.
Darrin Lynch, general manager of Western Cooperative Electric Association Inc., was also seated on the board of directors. Lynch replaced Dave Schneider, who retired after 23 years on the Sunflower board.
In addition to the election of officers, the board appointed Corey Linville as vice president of power supply and delivery. Linville, who has been employed at Sunflower since 1993, will supervise activities that ensure reliable generation and transmission service, such as power flow monitoring and resource planning, to Sunflower’s six members-owners.
“During our annual meeting at which the election of officers occurs, we are especially reminded of the important contribution electric cooperatives make to our economy and way of life,” Lowry said. “As always, Sunflower’s board comprises directors that take very seriously the obligation to those they serve and remain committed to providing reliable energy at the lowest possible cost.”
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a regional wholesale generation and transmission supplier that operates wind, gas, and coal-based generating units and a 2,433-mile transmission system for the needs of its member cooperatives who serve in central and western Kansas.
Sunflower’s member cooperatives include Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative Inc., Dighton; Pioneer Electric Cooperative Inc., Ulysses; Prairie Land Electric Cooperative Inc., Norton; the Victory Electric Cooperative Association Inc., Dodge City; Western Cooperative Electric Association Inc., WaKeeney; and Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc., Scott City.
For more information, visit Sunflower’s website at www.sunflower.net.