Great River Energy Annual Meeting Highlights Organization's Success.

ELK RIVER, Minn. -- Over 300 electric cooperative leaders gathered on June 8 in St. Cloud for Great River Energy's annual meeting. The theme of the meeting: "Working together for the greater good" was a recurrent message throughout the proceedings.

"Everything we do as a company, we do for the collective whole," said president and CEO, David Saggau, as he addressed the attendees. "All of us at Great River Energy operate under the same philosophy: the reason we exist is to serve our members," Saggau added.

"Our research tells us that our members want three things: reasonable rates, reliable electric service and environmental stewardship," continued Saggau. "It is not only good business; it is the right thing to do." In 2005, Great River Energy's generation facilities operated at nearly full capacity with a combined capacity rate of 97 percent. Great River Energy's commitment to the environment and to the community is evident through projects such as the Trimont Area Wind Farm and our record setting fly ash sales.

Great River Energy Board Chair Henry Hanson focused his remarks on the dedication and commitment of the board of directors over the past year. "Our board of directors established an overall strategy for our growing organization," Hanson said. "They continued to plan for our generation resources, to ensure transmission reliability and to pursue new business opportunities."

Financially, 2005 was an exceptional year for Great River Energy. The organization earned a record margin (or profit) of $33.6 million on revenues of $713 million in 2005, according to Larry Schmid, vice president and chief financial officer. "Great River Energy's 28 member cooperatives add to our financial strength," Schmid said. "Combined, with our members, our equity is 20.5 percent," he added.

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven also addressed the meeting attendees. Hoeven congratulated Great River Energy on its innovative new business developments. Projects like Blue Flint Ethanol and the Spiritwood Industrial Park are important to our nation's energy future, he added.

During the annual meeting, three new directors were elected to the Great River Energy board:

--Clay Van De Bogart, Dakota Electric Association, Farmington

--Dennis Mathiason, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Pelican Rapids

--Jim Wirz, Meeker Cooperative, Litchfield

Also, all existing directors were re-elected to Great River Energy's 34-member board. They include:

--Chair Henry Hanson, Nobles Cooperative Electric, Worthington

--Vice-Chair Don Holl, Connexus Energy, Ramsey

--Secretary Don Martens, East Central Energy, Braham

--Treasurer Royce Peterson, Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative Electric, Park Rapids

--Harold Jacobson, Agralite Electric Cooperative, Benson

--Lester Edinger, Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Lutsen

--Brad Leiding, BENCO Electric, Mankato

--Leo Marti, Brown County Rural Electric, Sleepy Eye

--James Leroux, Connexus Energy, Ramsey

--Peggy Kuettel, Cooperative Light & Power, Two Harbors 

--Robert Kangas, Crow Wing Power, Brainerd

--Don O'Brien, Crow Wing Power, Brainerd

--Carl Potter, Dakota Electric Association, Farmington

--Jim Haasis, East Central Energy, Braham

--Dave Hansen, Federated Rural Electric Association, Jackson

--John Gorman, Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association, Zumbrota

--Howard Powers, Kandiyohi Power Cooperative, Willmar

--Sue Hankner, Lake Country Power, Grand Rapids 

--George Harvey, Lake Country Power, Grand Rapids

--Lester Ranzau, McLeod Cooperative Power Association, Glencoe

--Dennis Lamke, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative, Aitkin

--Gordon Bates, Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative, Jordan

--Bruce Leino, North Itasca Electric Cooperative, Bigfork

--Gil Schmitz, Redwood Electric Cooperative, Clements

--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

--Mike Thorson, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, Wadena

--Chris Lantto, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association, Rockford

--Tom Mach, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association, Rockford

Great River Energy (www.greatriverenergy.com) is a not-for-profit electric generation and transmission cooperative providing wholesale electric energy and related services to 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin serving more than 600,000 members, or approximately 1.7 million people. Great River Energy is the second largest power supplier in Minnesota, in terms of generating capacity, and the fourth largest utility of its type in the United States.