For the first time in co-op history, trustee elections are by mail-in ballot.

Members are encouraged to return their ballots as soon as possible. Ballots were mailed March 29 and must be received NO LATER THAN APRIL 19 using the postage-paid envelope provided. 

BALLOTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT WEC OFFICES.

WEC is governed by a 10-member board of trustees, who play a significant role in setting the policies and strategic direction for the co-op, as well as making financial decisions. 

WEC’s mail-in voting will be managed by Survey and Ballot Systems, a national data solutions company. Election results will be announced at this year’s 2024 annual meeting. Find more details in this month's issue of Kansas Country Living.

Questions? call your local office or email memberservices@weci.net.

JOHN NIEHUES has lived in the WEC service territory for three years and has worked in the area for eight years. His wife, Chricket, is a physical therapist at Goodland Regional Medical Center.

They do not have kids, but have a beloved dog named Roux. Niehues originally grew up in northeast Kansas and has been connected to the energy sector his whole life. His mom works at Jeffrey Energy Center, a coal-fired power plant that is now a part of Evergy, formerly Westar Energy. His brother also works at the plant as an operator. He has always been interested in learning more and finding ways to serve his community. Currently, he serves as the superintendent and elementary principal of USD 200 Greeley County Schools in Tribune, Kansas.

During his eight years in the district, he has served as a teacher and high school principal, in addition to his current position. He and his wife enjoy spending time with their dog, skiing, traveling to national parks, fishing and scuba diving. He also enjoys attending any events his students are taking part in, wherever it may be.

After graduating from Onaga High School, he attended and received a bachelor’s degree in education with an emphasis in business from Kansas State University. Over the last eight years, he has also received his master’s degree and additional certificates for school leadership from Fort Hays State University. He has been exploring opportunities to pursue a doctorate in the future, he said. 

“I have served on the Greeley County Community Development Board for over four years and have served as the board chair for the last two years,” Niehues said. “Having been around the energy sector my  whole life through family, the opening to serve on the local cooperative felt like an extraordinary opportunity to deepen my knowledge while
also serving my community. While not running with a specific agenda, I expect to continually learn about the industry at every chance.

Using that knowledge to promote responsible stewardship of WEC resources and investing to ensure continued success. I think my experience with the industry and my current job managing the day-to-day operations and
policies of a school district could be both my biggest contribution as well as the skills I bring, making me a great fit and benefit for the board.”

As a 1984 graduate of Greeley County High School, KEVIN WHITE has resided in Greeley County for 20 years. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Lori, for 35 years.

The couple has one daughter, a son-in-law, and three grandchildren, all residing in Greeley County. Horseback riding, golf and following his grandchildren’s sporting events are his favorite hobbies. White is currently farming 1,500 acres of crop ground and has had a cow/calf operation in the past.

In May 2010, he went to work for Foley Equipment as a Petroleum Engine Product Support Representative where he is currently employed. He started his career with Sunflower Electric Gas Division in Greeley County. When the plant was shutdown, he transferred to the Sunflower Electric coal-fired plant in Holcomb, Kansas, for a short time. While in Garden City, he was a member of Garden City Fire and Rescue for three years. He moved over to be a reserve deputy with the Finney County Sheriff’s reserves, later being voted to captain of the reserves by his peers. 

While a deputy, he received an award for 500 hours of volunteer service. He joined the Kansas Army National Guard in 1986 for eight years and was the gun chief on an 8-inch howitzer. At that time, he worked for Northern Natural Gas located in Holcomb, Kansas, for six years, which was purchased by Enron. When Enron failed, he went to work for Exline Inc. in Salina, Kansas, to perform sales duties. Later, he was promoted to division manager over the ignition and automation division for 10 years. As one of the seven managers, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations
along with the strategic planning for the long-term successes of the 125-year-old company. While in Salina, he was a member and commander of the Saline County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol and Rescue Squad.

When he was nominated for the WEC’s Board of Trustees, he thought it would be interesting to learn the inner workings of an electric cooperative. If elected, he hopes to be a liaison for the members and employees in his community.
“I think my biggest contribution to the board will be my well rounded experience in management and operations of many different businesses,” he said.

JOHN SULLIVAN was appointed to the WEC Board in 2021 to fill a vacated seat by an outgoing trustee. He has served for the past two years as a trustee representing District 6 in WEC’s service territory, which encompasses the city of Great Bend. The past two years have been enjoyable for Sullivan, learning more about the electric industry but also challenging with all the director development classes he has taken. He has worked in the grain cooperative business for the past 28 years, and the focus remains the same between cooperatives: service to its members and the communities they serve. 

Sullivan, a native of Logan, Kansas, is the chief financial officer of the Great Bend Cooperative Association and has lived in Great Bend for 26 years. Prior to that he was a certified public accountant for Lindburg Vogel, where he audited local grain cooperatives.

A graduate of Western Illinois University, where he also played college football, he received his bachelor’s degree in business finance. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wichita State University. He has served as an ambassador for the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce for 13 years, is currently a member of the Great Bend Optimist Club and past president, has served as treasurer for a local Boy Scouts troop for 12 years, and has also served as a PTA president for a local school.

He is married to his wife, Annie, of 35 years, and together they have two children: Erin and Blake. He is a big advocate for Sully’s Foundation, which promotes epilepsy education and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) awareness. The foundation was started in honor of his late son Blake. In his spare time, Sullivan enjoys spending time with his family hiking in the mountains and biking around Barton County, enjoying the countryside.

He has a passion for his family heritage and can be found caring for his grandfather’s homestead near his hometown during his time off.

MARK ARNOLD and wife, Leslie, have lived in Caldwell, Kansas, since 2004. They have two daughters and two grandchildren. They enjoy traveling, especially seeing their family. 

Arnold graduated from Oklahoma State University in December 1987. After working for the Wichita Eagle for two years, he began his banking career in April 1990 in Braman, Oklahoma. He currently serves as the CEO of Stock Exchange Bank in Caldwell where he has worked since 1997.

His community involvement in Caldwell includes serving as the town’s mayor from 2005-2018, serving as an assistant middle school football and basketball coach for four years, volunteering as a little league sports coach, serving as golf  course treasurer, and serving as associate chairman for a 2023 school bond issue (passed), among others. His
family attends the First United Methodist Church of Caldwell.

Currently, he serves as the president of the WEC Board of Trustees. He has 12 years of experience, seven at WEC and five at Kay Electric Cooperative in Blackwell, Oklahoma. This past year, he earned his Director Gold Credential, the 
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) highest level of director education. He is the WEC representative on the Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. state association board.

The inspiration for serving on the board comes from growing up on a farm served by co-op lines and seeing the  commitment that went in to “keeping the lights on.”

“While initially I didn’t realize what all was involved in that process, as cooperative members, my family had a great appreciation for the employees of the cooperative and their work ethic,” Arnold said. 

During his time on the board, he has discovered that the cooperative is a catalyst in the communities it serves. “In addition to providing electrical service, Wheatland awards scholarships and grants, they pay substantial real estate taxes on infrastructure, and most of all their employment base produces a significant economic impact. The employees of the cooperative are the shoppers who spend dollars at the local stores, they are the parents who send kids to local schools, and they are volunteers who provide bodies that support local activities.”

His goal is for WEC to continue to provide opportunities to the members and communities that parallel the opportunities provided in more metropolitan settings. To accomplish this, he will strive to maintain a balance between providing safe, affordable and reliable energy with forward-thinking strategic planning, according to Arnold.