NIPCO Hosts 2025 Annual Meeting
- Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Updated: May 1
NIPCO conducted its 2025 Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 1, at Stoney Creek Hotel in Sioux City, Iowa. For over 75 years, Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative has served as a vital resource powering rural western Iowa communities. “Working for Western Iowa,” the theme for this year’s meeting, highlighted how NIPCO and its members remain committed to delivering secure, cost-effective power to the region while fostering a family of electric cooperatives built on trust, understanding, and communication.
The meeting featured video reports from Board President Louis Reed and Chief Financial Officer Jane Scheitler and video interviews of NIPCO Directors sharing their experiences serving on the Board and working on behalf of member cooperatives and western Iowa communities.
NIPCO attorney Denny Puckett from Sullivan & Ward, P.C. conducted the official business portion of the meeting, where NIPCO Class A Member delegates nominated their Director Representatives to serve on the NIPCO Board of Directors. The following were presented:
Ron Steinhoff (Woodbury County REC)
Dr. James Else (WIMECA)
Louis Reed (WIPCO)
Meeting attendees also heard updates from NIPCO Treasurer and Basin Electric District 4 Representative Tom Wagner, Basin Electric Power Cooperative CEO & General Manager Todd Brickhouse, Executive Director of Mid-West Electric Consumers Association Jim Horan, and NIPCO Executive Vice President & General Manager Matt Washburn. Basin Electric Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Gavin McCollam presented information regarding Basin Electric’s initiatives to secure energy reliability and generation to serve the membership.
During the Reorganizational Meeting, the NIPCO Board of Directors re-elected all officers to their previous positions:
Louis Reed (WIPCO) as President
Ron Steinhoff (Woodbury County REC) as Vice President
Tom Wagner (North West REC) as Treasurer
Trent Will (Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative) as Secretary
Iowa Area Development Group President & Chief Executive Officer Bruce Nuzum presented a 2025 Venture Award to representatives of Fairfield by Marriott Sioux Center. The Venture Award recognized the opening of the 76-room Fairfield by Marriott Hotel in Sioux Center and Summer View Partners’ role in fostering regional economic growth by expanding lodging opportunities in communities serviced by North West REC.
Rick Olesen, who retired as President/CEO from Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative in 2023, was named the 2025 N-Ovation Award recipient by the NIPCO Board of Directors. The N-Ovation Award symbolizes the recipient’s time advancing the electric cooperative industry, NIPCO’s G&T family, and NIPCO’s operations, corporate mission, vision, and values. Since 1975, the NIPCO Board of Directors have presented this honor to worthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to NIPCO. Candidates are nominated and selected by the NIPCO Board of Directors.
Rick Olesen was honored for his contributions to Iowa Lakes Electric, support of renewable energy, advocacy and dedication to promoting the cooperative industry, and efforts to advance economic development, environmental sustainability, and energy innovation in Iowa and beyond. Olsen exemplifies leadership, innovation, and unwavering commitment to the cooperative mission. His impact—locally and nationally—continues to shape the future of the electric utility industry.
Annual Report
Download or view the 2024 NIPCO annual report or visit our information page for the NIPCO annual meeting, including presenter bios, annual report, presidential video, and photos from the 2025 Annual Meeting.
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