Cooperatives are democratic entities, owned by those they serve and governed by elected representatives. In fact, one of the seven cooperative principles is Democratic Member Control. In order to underscore this principle, we offer multiple ways to cast your vote.
As member-owners, all Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative members are invited to participate in the cooperative’s Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting provides members with information about the cooperative’s growth, financial health, board election, and programs available to members. In addition to the annual meeting, which is officially required by our bylaws, there are many member appreciation events held throughout the year.
2026 Annual Meeting
Thursday April 16, 2026
Maslowski Wellness & Research Center
17 5th St SW- Wadena, MN 56482
2026 Annual Meeting Schedule
4:00 p.m. Registration Opens / Free Swim / Transmission Trail
4:30 p.m. Bingo
5:30 p.m. Business meeting with meal
Dale was elected to the Todd-Wadena board in 1996 and currently serves as Treasurer. In 2012, he was appointed to represent TWEC on the STAR Energy Services Board. He is also Treasurer and Trustee for the Church of Christ in Staples. After serving 25 years on the Bartlett Township board, he continues to serve the township as an election judge.
He feels a challenge for the Cooperative is the ability to maintain reliability when there is a push to move to all renewable energy, along with the Minnesota law requiring generation to be carbon free by 2040. Wind and solar output varies and, at times, is not producing much on our coldest winter days when the demand is highest.
Dale has been involved with electricity most of his life, from troubleshooting electrical problems to wiring buildings. He said, “My time on the Board at TWEC has given me insight into the power supply side of the industry. It is enjoyable to serve on the board of a cooperative that has such dedicated and knowledgeable employees working for the benefit of our members. I would be happy to continue to represent you on the Board.”
Gene Kern is a lifelong resident of the Bluegrass area in Wadena County where he and his wife of 40 years, Jan, continue to reside on their farm. They have two children, Sarah and Adam, and five grandchildren.
Gene graduated from Sebeka High School and from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Agricultural Education. After 25 years of dairy farming, Gene now raises beef and hay. He is also a substitute teacher and has spent the past several summers working for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture with the Invasive Species Programs. Gene is a Trustee at St. Hubert’s Catholic Church in Bluegrass.
A Todd-Wadena director since 1996, Gene currently serves on Todd-Wadena’s Safety Committee and has taken the classes necessary to be a fully-accredited electric cooperative director.
“Energy issues impact each of us,” Gene said, “and electric cooperative directors are challenged to keep current with research and development of future energy technologies. My goal is to help ensure that Todd-Wadena continues to provide safe, efficient, reliable energy at the lowest possible rates.”
He also feels it is important to stay current on political mandates and keep good relationships with local and state politicians. “We must work with our elected officials, and keep them informed about the issues that affect central Minnesota,” Gene said.
Steve has lived in Todd County his entire life. He graduated from Bertha-Hewitt and attended Wadena Area Technical Institute, completing the 11-month class of telephone central office. He worked on the family farm, along with other short-term employments before landing a position at First National Bank in Bertha. There, he primarily learned their insurance agency business which he ended up managing and then purchasing. Along with the agency, he became the IRA/HSA Administrator and Security Officer for the Bertha office and the other nine Star Bank offices. He retired first from the insurance agency and then the bank in January 2024.
Outside of the bank, Steve did various things at the Bertha-Hewitt School. Activities he was involved with include officiating football, boys and girls basketball, softball, and baseball. He was also recruited to announce for the indoor marching band concert for over 20 years. Currently, Steve does the public address announcements for football.
Steve served on the Bertha Volunteer Ambulance Service for 24 years. He was elected to the Hewitt City Council for six years and served as mayor for two. He also served on the Hewitt Fire Department for 27 years, serving as Fire Chief for 11 of those years. In 2016, he joined the Bertha Clinic Advisory Committee and is still an active member.
Steve joined the Hewitt Lions as a charter member where he served multiple terms as treasurer and president. He is currently a member of two 501 (c) (3) nonprofits, the Bertha Area Sportsman Club, of which he is president, and the Ringnecks Forevermore as a director. Steve has always been interested in learning new things. He believes the chance to be on the board of a very successful cooperative would be a great opportunity to learn more and contribute from his past varied experience whenever possible.
Kristine and her husband, Mark, live eight miles west of Menahga where they dairy farm in a partnership with Mark’s brother, Mike. They milk 350 cows and farm 1,000 acres. Kristine and Mark have four children, Ryan (wife Jen), Kate (husband Benny), Adam, and Seth.
Kristine has been the clerk for Runeberg Township for the last 20 years. She currently serves as Director on DFA Co-op Central Area Council, and serves as Corporate Board Director; Director on the Minnesota Division Board, where she serves as Chair; and Corporate Board Director for Midwest Dairy. Her family actively attends Relayt Church.
Kristine and Mark have been members of Todd-Wadena since 1994. “I have always been impressed with customer service, management of lines to decrease outages, cost savings programs, as well as lower rates compared to other cooperatives in the area. I value the cooperative model where members have a real voice in how decisions are made. It is vitally important that we maintain a strong cooperative for future generations,” said Kristine.
Kristine has served on the Todd-Wadena Board since 2019, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy. It has been a privilege representing the members while working with a great Board and fantastic employees. In December of 2021, Kristine completed her Credentialed Cooperative Director training. She says, “I believe the more information and knowledge I can gain about the utility world allows me to make better decisions for our members.”
Cast Your Vote
This year you can vote for up to three candidates, who will each serve a three-year term ending in 2029.
- VOTE BY MAIL: Election ballots were mailed to all ToddWadena members on or around March 10th. The ballots look like the sample to the left. The order of candidate names will be rotated among ballots. To vote by mail, complete your ballot, place ballot in secret envelope, and seal. Place secret ballot envelope in the white, pre-paid return envelope, and mail. The ballots will be mailed directly to our election company, SBS, to tabulate. Your ballot must be received by April 16th, 2026.
Notice: There are two envelopes to be returned with each ballot. One is the pre-addressed, postagepaid envelope, and the other is the secret ballot envelope. It is very important that the ballot is first placed into the secret ballot envelope, and then that envelope is placed into the preaddressed envelope to be mailed. If the ballots are not in a secret ballot envelope they cannot be counted as a valid vote. - VOTE ONLINE: Online voting must be completed by 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 16th, 2026. There will be instructions with the ballot you received in the mail (or via email) on how you can vote online using DirectVote. You do not need a SmartHub account in order to vote this way. Once you’ve authenticated through the DirectVote page, follow the instructions to cast your vote.
OR If you’re a registered user on SmartHub, access your online ballot by logging into SmartHub at toddwadena.smarthub.coop and click the VOTE NOW button, or open the SmartHub app and vote there. - VOTE IN PERSON: Vote in-person at the Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 16th, 2026 at the Maslowski Wellness & Research Center. Registration opens at 4:00 p.m., with the business meeting called to order at 5:30 p.m. Voting at the Annual Meeting will be done with an iPad at registration.
Submit Questions
Election Results
Election results will be announced at the close of the Annual Meeting on April 16th and printed in the May issue of Pine to Prairie News.
2025 Annual Meeting Recap
Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative held its Annual Meeting of the Members on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025, at the Maslowski Wellness & Research Center in Wadena. The meeting began at 5:30 p.m. and welcomed 251 members and their families who gathered to celebrate the cooperative’s 85th anniversary.
Throughout the evening, members had several opportunities to engage and participate. Those who had not yet voted in the 2025 Director Election were able to cast their ballot. Families also enjoyed complimentary swimming at the wellness center, and many took part in bingo, where Dairy Queen gift cards and TWEC branded items were awarded as prizes.
Before the business meeting, members had the opportunity to attend an educational session titled Rates & Reliability. TWEC Chief Financial Officer Lisa Graba- Meech and Great River Energy’s Vice President and CFO Michelle Strobel presented on the Power Cost Adjustment and how evolving energy mandates and changes to the power supply are impacting electric rates. The session provided valuable insight into the financial realities shaping energy pricing for cooperative members.
Once the meeting was called to order, members were invited to enjoy a meal catered by The BBQ Smokehouse of Wadena, followed by cupcakes provided by Witches Brew of Staples. During the meal, members viewed a video message from Heidi Zimmerman, TWEC’s 2024 Youth Tour representative, sharing highlights of her experience in Washington, D.C. The cooperative also announced Iva Hinson of Staples as the 2025 Youth Tour delegate, who will travel to Washington, D.C. this June. In addition, the 2025 TWEC scholarship recipients were announced and recognized.
Board Chair Miles Kuschel addressed the membership, highlighting the importance of TWEC’s load management programs and its value to both members and the cooperative. He also emphasized TWEC’s ongoing commitment to community involvement through scholarships, the Youth Tour program, sponsorships, and donations. Kuschel noted the $534,000 in capital credits were retired in December 2024, a joint effort by Todd-Wadena and Great River Energy to return patronage funds to members.
CEO Dan Carlisle followed with detailed updates from across the cooperative’s departments. He reported on TWEC’s continued financial health and operational improvements, including the addition of 95 new services and the rebuilding of over 30 miles of power lines in 2024 to enhance system reliability. In the Member and Energy Services report, Carlisle announced that more than $34,000 was awarded to local organizations through the Operation Round Up® program and extended sincere thanks to members who participate by rounding up their monthly bills. He also emphasized the impact of TWEC’s load management programs in managing demand and creating savings for members. Carlisle announced a new department, Corporate Services, IT, and Cybersecurity. He addressed the cooperative’s growing emphasis on cybersecurity, underscoring the importance of employee training and member education.
In closing, Carlisle discussed key legislative issues facing electric cooperatives and played video highlights from the energy policy panel held at the Minnesota Rural Electric Association’s Annual Meeting, giving members a broader understanding of the regulatory landscape.
At the conclusion of the business meeting, Nominating Committee Chair Wally Wiese announced the results of the 2025 Director Election. Marie Katterhagen received 842 votes, and Mike Thorson received 693 votes. Also on the ballot were Alex Roth with 307 votes, Eugene Roller with 289, Robb H. Oyster with 284, and Steven C. Peterson with 216. Katterhagen and Thorson were elected to serve three-year terms on the board. Members received the 2025 Annual Meeting attendance gift of a rain gauge as they left the meeting.
Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative extends its thanks to all members who attended and participated in the 2025 Annual Meeting. Your continued involvement is the cornerstone of our success—and a true reflection of what it means to be member-powered.
