Mother’s Day is May 12. This will be my second Mother’s Day as a mother myself. Those of you who have children know that it’s a wild ride. My daughter, Gwen, is 19 months old, and she teaches me something new every day.
I have been fortunate to have many exceptional women in my life. I’m an only child, so my mom, Kim, and I are close. I admire her strength and her ability to keep a calm head through life’s challenges. She always built up my self-esteem over the years, and I doubt I would be where I am today without her in my corner. Watching her spend time with Gwen has been amazing.
My grandmother, Sandy, is known as Nan and has been a surrogate grandma to all my friends. She is the quintessential grandmother. If you look up that word in the dictionary, you will see a picture of her with a plate of freshly baked cookies. She loves all her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren unconditionally.
My mother-in-law, Sonja, has always been welcoming and open to those of us who married into the family. When you marry a Davis, you become one of her children (even though she already has four of them). Her generosity knows no bounds, and I’m lucky to have her.
As a mom, I have many milestones ahead of me, but as anyone with small children knows, sometimes you’re just trying to make it through the day. If you’re a mother, I hope you take a moment on the 12th and appreciate where you are and how you got there. I’m sure you’re doing a great job.
Do you have a story you would like to share about your mom? Please send it to me.
Britt Davis Editor bdavis@indianaec.org
On the menu: August: Submit your favorite recipes featuring lemon, deadline June 1. If we publish your recipe on our food pages, we’ll send you a $10 gift card.
Giveaway: Enter to win a “spicy” prize pack. Visit indianaconnection.org/talk-to-us/contests or send your contact information to the address below. The deadline to enter is May 31.
Three ways to contact us: To send us recipes, photos, letters and entries for gift drawings, please use the forms on our website indianaconnection.org; email info@indianaconnection.org; or send to Indiana Connection, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032.
VOLUME 73 • NUMBER 11 ISSN 0745-4651 • USPS 262-340
Published monthly by Indiana Electric Cooperatives
Indiana Connection is for and about members of Indiana’s locally-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It helps consumers use electricity safely and efficiently; understand energy issues; connect with their co-op; and celebrate life in Indiana. Over 311,000 residents and businesses receive the magazine as part of their electric co-op membership. The average printed and mailed cost per issue is 54 cents.
CONTACT US: 11805 Pennsylvania Street Carmel, IN 46032 317-487-2220 info@indianaconnection.org
IndianaConnection.org
INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OFFICERS: Steve McMichael President Dr. Richard Leeper Vice President Jamey Marcum Secretary/Treasurer John Cassady CEO
EDITORIAL STAFF: Britt Davis Editor
Holly Huffman Communication Support Specialist
Lauren Carman Communication Manager
Kiley Lipps Graphic Designer
Ashley Curry Production and Design Coordinator
Amber Knight Creative Manager
Mandy Barth Vice President of Communication
ADVERTISING:
American MainStreet Publications
Cheryl Solomon, local ad representative; 512-441-5200; amp.coop Crosshair Media 502-216-8537; crosshairmedia.net
Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.
UNSOLICITED MATERIAL: Indiana Connection does not use unsolicited freelance manuscripts or photographs and assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited material.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
$12 for individuals not subscribing through participating REMCs/RECs.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
If you receive Indiana Connection through your electric co-op membership, report address changes to your local co-op.
POSTAGE:
Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: Indiana Connection, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032. Include key number.
No portion of Indiana Connection may be reproduced without permission of the editor.
There
These
Exercise one of the greatest benefits of being a member of an electric co-op by voting for the upcoming year’s board of directors. Districts 4, 5, and 8 are up for election. Vote by June 6.
The 2024 Steuben County REMC Annual Meeting will be broadcast on June 8 on YouTube, Facebook, or remcsteuben.com.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the first notice of election results.
MAY 6 (MONDAY)
Voting opens
JUNE 3 (MONDAY)
Last chance to mail in paper ballots
JUNE 6 (THURSDAY)
Voting closes
*Weekly videos from your board with the weekly bill credit winners starting May 10
Office Hours
7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Monday–Friday
Contact Us
PHONE
260-665-3563
Call our office 24/7/365 to report an outage.
STREET ADDRESS
1212 S. Wayne St., Angola, IN 46703
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 359, Angola, IN 46703
CEO@remcsteuben.com remcsteuben@remcsteuben.com
WEBSITE remcsteuben.com
Call Before You Dig
Please call 811 at least two days before you dig.
Management Team
KEVIN KEISER, CEO
DUSTIN EVERETTS, Operation/Engineering
JOSHUA DURBIN, Member Services
STEVE SMITH, Finance
DAVE SHORT, Broadband Operations
How to Understand Your Electric
Board of Directors
JUNE 8 (SATURDAY)
Election results and grand prize winners video announced on YouTube
GARY SHOUGH, Secretary/Treasurer (District 1, Millgrove and Greenfield townships)
SAMUEL “GUS” REED (District 2, Jamestown Township)
BILL SNYDER (District 3, Fremont and Clear Lake townships)
MIKE KURTZ (District 4, Jackson Township)
CARTER SNIDER (District 5, Pleasant Township)
NEASA KALME (District 6, Scott and York townships)
WAYNE GINGERICH, President (District 7, Salem Township)
LARRY JACK, Vice President (District 8, Steuben, Smithfield and Grant townships)
MARC NELSON (District 9, Otsego, Richland and Franklin townships)
Disconnection Charges: Electric
DISCONNECT DATES ARE 2.5 WEEKS AFTER DUE DATE
Reconnection Charge: $50 (7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.)
Reconnection Charge: $200 (after 4 p.m.)
Deposit: $200
Returned check fee: $25
Disconnection Charges: Broadband
DISCONNECT DATES ARE THE 9TH OF EVERY MONTH
Reconnection Charge: $60
Returned check fee: $25
We have celebrated numerous significant achievements throughout Steuben County REMC’s 87-year history. However, the completion of the broadband fiber network in December of last year may have just topped them all. Now, northeast Indiana has a reliable not-for-profit broadband network capable of not only meeting our current communication and data needs but also our children’s and grandchildren’s.
To get to this point, a lot of hard work had to take place from the board of directors, engineers, and operation personnel to plan, design, and build a network equal to or better than our neighbors living in any urban area. Today, our members have a highspeed internet option without limitations or concerns for future technological changes. With our total fiber optic system, we will be able to keep pace with new and developing trends in education, economic development, health care, and entertainment, which separates us from most other rural areas of Indiana.
The physical construction of this network started in the summer of 2022, and at the time, we thought it would take three to four years to complete. However, our board and membership interest continued to grow, and after just 18 months, the system was complete. It includes
over 655 miles of primary fiber line with three communication huts and two direct internet access points connecting northeast Indiana to the outside world. We currently have 3,750 members connected, or in the process of being connected, to the network and we are receiving three to five new service requests each business day. Should this level of interest continue, we anticipate having nearly 5,000 accounts by this time next year.
As you can imagine, building this kind of infrastructure can be costly, and thanks to the pandemic and the inflationary pressures our nation experienced in recent years, the project did come in higher than we anticipated at $32 million, thus reducing equity to 31.5%. So, now that the hard part is behind us, we can focus on getting this valuable service to as many members as possible and, in doing so, improve their quality of life and get the network to operate independently and replenish our equity.
However, it will take some time, and even with the most advanced network in the area, we will still face challenges in some locations, primarily from for-profit companies with dated infrastructure and questionable business practices. Many of them recently began advertising low monthly rates, which, if you look closely, include hook-up charges, modem rental,
KEVIN KEISER, CEOhidden fees, and contracts, allowing the rates to increase sharply in just a few months. Remember, these are the same companies that for years did little to improve their level of service and, like the investor-owned electric utilities of the 1930s and 40s, were only interested in maximizing their profits by leaving the countryside under-served and in the dark, which is why your notfor-profit cooperative exists. Don’t let them trick you into thinking that all of that has changed, and they are now interested in giving you low-price, top-of-the-line service. They could have done that years ago.
On the electric side of your cooperative, we remain committed to providing you with the best service possible day in and day out. In February 2023, our commitment to this effort was tested when our region was hit with a devastating ice storm. The storm covered some areas with as much as three-quarters of an inch of heavy ice and caused widespread outages throughout our service territory. As a result, the restoration process took three long days to complete, and I can’t thank all of the employees enough for their hard work and dedication. In addition to our employees, we also had six outside operation crews helping us from four neighboring cooperatives and a subcontractor.
By the time all was said and done, our recovery cost approached $250,000 and ranks as the largest outage event we have experienced in over 25 years.
In addition, many of the challenges we have mentioned over the last few years regarding generation and transmission remain. We continue to see a transition from coal and gas to renewable resources like wind and solar that simply don’t have the same capacity and availability, making it more difficult to meet our peak load requirements in both the winter and summer.
Further complicating this issue is the MISO or regional transmission organizations’ lengthy lead times for approval and construction of new generation and transmission facilities, which currently stands at eight years. There are no signs of immediate relief to this problem.
In response to this challenge, your cooperative — in collaboration with our wholesale power provider, Wabash Valley Power — is planning to take a proactive step toward the problem by introducing a new whole-house generating program to reduce our peak loads. We hope to have all the details for the program worked out by this summer. Enrollment information will follow soon.
Financially, your cooperative ended 2023 in a solid position, with margins of about $280,000 less our G&T capital credit allocation. Our retail rates continue to be among the most competitive in the region.
250 QTY. $25 bill credit
FIVE QTY. Indiana State Park annual passes
FOUR
($100 equivalent)
THREE QTY.
($350 equivalent)
TWO QTY.
PS5 gaming consoles
($500 equivalent)
ONE QTY.
YouTube Live 1-year subscription
($1,000 equivalent)
DISTRICT 1: Gary Shough
DISTRICT 2: Samuel “Gus” Reed
DISTRICT 3: Bill Snyder
DISTRICT 4: UP FOR ELECTION
Mike Kurtz, incumbent
Ken Wilson
DISTRICT 5: UP FOR ELECTION
Carter Snider, incumbent
DISTRICT 6: Neasa Kalme
DISTRICT 7: Wayne Gingerich
DISTRICT 8: UP FOR ELECTION
Larry Jack, incumbent
Don Wittkamp
DISTRICT 9: Marc Nelson
At Steuben County REMC, the process of electing your board of directors is a priority. For this reason, we provide you with three convenient ways to cast your vote in the election. You are able to vote by mail or online prior to the meeting. Beginning May 3, ballots will be mailed to you.
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
An unexpected power outage likely makes you fly to a far-flung region in your home — your circuit breaker box.
Many home circuit breaker boxes can be found in areas such as garages and basements. They are the electrical nerve center of your home; they control the flow of electricity throughout your home to the various rooms and devices that power your day. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, homes with service panels installed before 1965 likely use fuses to protect each individual circuit. Newer homes feature circuit breakers that maintain the safe flow of electricity.
When circuits are overloaded or encounter a disturbance, they may “trip” or open to interrupt the flow of electricity. The Electrical Safety Foundation reports that blown fuses in older homes require replacement when an issue arises, while circuit breakers can be reset once the potential problem is resolved. The organization adds that a tripped breaker is typically the result of too many appliances overloading the circuit, which should be fixed immediately.
When a short circuit occurs, an electrified wire directly contacts a neutral wire or the ground, causing
a surge of electricity. Circuit breakers are designed to trip almost instantaneously in this situation to prevent significant damage or possibly even a fire.
Ground fault circuit interrupter breakers and outlets are used for circuits where there is water or high moisture, such as a bathroom, kitchen, or garage. Some homes have GFCI breakers in the breaker panel or GFCI outlets designed to shut off power within a fraction of a second for safety. The outlets have a push button to reset in case they ever trip.
There are steps you can take to investigate and resolve a tripped circuit breaker. Sometimes, the situation can be resolved quickly. However, if the issue cannot be found or the breaker continues to trip, contact a qualified electrician to investigate and fix the problem.
Source: Electrical Safety Foundation
• Unplug or turn off appliances in the room.
• Find your main breaker panel and open the cover.
• Locate the tripped breaker or blown fuse. A tripped circuit breaker will be in the off position or in a middle position between on and off.
• To reset the breaker, switch it to the off position and then back to on. This may restore power to the room. If the problem continues, there may be more severe issues. Contact an electrician to diagnose the problem.
by Matt Strahl Energy Advisor, NineStar Connect
Covering 80 square miles with less than 6,000 residents, Ohio County is Indiana’s smallest and least populous county. Rising Sun, Indiana — the sole incorporated municipality within Ohio County — is home to Ree’s Harps, one of the state’s only two harp manufacturers.
The Ohio County Historical Society Museum’s star attraction is the Hoosier Boy, a famous powerboat from the early 1900s. J.W. “Row” Whitlock — an inventor, furniture builder, and boating enthusiast from Rising Sun — owned and raced the 40-foot boat with a 62-mph top speed. In 1924, he set an unbroken distance record for a round trip between Cincinnati and Louisville. He covered 267 miles of the Ohio River in 267 minutes and 49 seconds, despite branches in the Ohio River breaking a hole in the Hoosier Boy’s wooden hull. The museum also houses the Hoosier Girl, a replica made in 2003 of the Hoosier Boy’s sister boat that sank in the 1940s.
In 1836, Samuel Barkshire and his family moved to Rising Sun from Boone County, Kentucky, after becoming freed slaves. Risking capture and resale back into slavery, the Barkshires became Underground Railroad activists, helping enslaved people of color along the Ohio River — the border of free and enslaved territories — find their way to freedom. Samuel even worked with the wife of his former slaveholder, Nancy Hawkins, who moved to Rising Sun after her husband’s death. She and the Barkshires hid slaves seeking freedom in their homes. The Indiana Historical Bureau and the Ohio County Historical Society designated the Barkshire’s home on North Poplar Street a historical marker in 2018.
Since 1979, Red Wolf Sanctuary in Rising Sun has preserved native North American animals through its educational tours and outreach programs about the wonders of nature and wildlife. The non-profit organization permanently homes various animals, from hawks to opossums, unfit for release into the wild because of lifealtering injuries or human interaction. The sanctuary also rehabilitates and releases hundreds of sick or orphaned wildlife animals annually. Visitors can book either a two-hour walking tour or an RTV-driven tour through the sanctuary’s habitats to view its residential wolves, foxes, bobcats, and more.
FOUNDED: 1844
NAMED FOR: the Ohio River
POPULATION: 5,940
COUNTY SEAT: Rising Sun
INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 58
In the July issue of Indiana Connection, we want to celebrate America by highlighting our readers’ 4th of July traditions and memories. Does your family have a favorite firework spot or a special meal eaten every Independence Day? Tell us about it! Submit entries by mail to our office (11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032) or at indianaconnection.org/share-your-4th-of-july-traditions by May 24.
Our Marketplace offers maximum exposure for your business or organization at a minimal cost.
Please contact Cheryl Solomon, 847-749-4875 or cheryl@amp.coop, for other small business advertising opportunities in Indiana Connection.
Unique coffee places around the state offer more than just hot beverages
Madison
Atticmadison.com
New Castle
facebook.com/caferoyalnc/
The Attic, housed in a building that dates back to 1860, is a unique family-owned business in the heart of Madison. The Coffee Mill Café opened in 1993 and features gourmet flavored coffees, breakfast paninis, pastries, and desserts available all day. Soups, salads, and sandwiches are served during lunch hours. Besides coffee, The Attic also features unique gifts, including clothing, jewelry, home décor, and more. This year, owners Chris and Lyndsey Hornbrook will open the newly renovated Historic Madison Bed and Breakfast so you can eat, drink, shop, and sleep in one location!
Valparaiso
blackbirdvalpo.com
Blackbird Café sits just off the Valparaiso town square on Lincolnway and is currently the town’s longest-standing café. The owner is the third generation of the family who ran The Donut Hut, which began serving Valparaiso in 1974. Blackbird offers a relaxed, cozy atmosphere perfect for “working from home” or gathering with friends. The building has housed a café since the early 1990s when it was an “Internet Café.” Blackbird offers breakfast, lunch, and bakery items made from scratch daily.
Opened in 2009, Café Royal is a family-owned coffee shop with a community focus in New Castle. The restaurant offers all-day breakfast and lunch options and an assortment of specialized coffee drinks. They also have a soup and sandwich special of the day, and reviews claim they have amazing biscuits and gravy.
Zionsville
Ourplacecoffee.com
Our Place Coffee is a popular spot on 1st Street in Zionsville. Started by the Deinlein family, Our Place Coffee is inspired by their father’s love of coffee and their mother’s love of community. They want the café to be a place where people slow down and connect face-to-face. Our Place Coffee is open for breakfast and lunch and offers traditional coffee drinks and “fancy lattes” with flavors such as berries and cream, snickerdoodle, and red velvet.
Tornadoes or other weather-related disasters often bring widespread power outages. Most electric utilities follow a similar methodical plan that ensures power is restored to the greatest number of people in the shortest amount of time in the safest manner possible. To do that, your co-op utilizes this priority system when line crews are working on outages.
These high-voltage lines carry electricity from generating plants to substations (or between substations). They are supported by tall towers, usually of steel lattice framing or tall wooden poles in an “H” or “M” configuration. Since tens of thousands of people could be served by one transmission line, damage here needs to be taken care of first.
These electrical facilities contain equipment that switch or regulate the voltage of electricity. They
lower the voltage from the transmission lines so the electricity can be transmitted through the distribution lines. If problems are taken care of at the substation, power to a large number of people can be restored.
You see these along roadways. They carry electricity from the substations to groups of consumers, like towns or housing developments. They are usually T-shaped and support three or more wires. When power is restored here, all consumers from this supply line will see their lights come on unless there is a problem farther down the line.
These are electric feeder lines running from the main distribution line to utility poles and underground transformers outside houses or buildings. They serve small numbers of consumers.
These lines run from the transformer on the nearest pole to the individual consumer’s electric meter. Repairs to individual homes come after all other larger fixes. Consumers may see lights on at neighboring homes and see line crews working in the area, but they may still not have power. When this happens, it generally means the service line between their home and the nearby transformer has been damaged.
If a family member relies on lifesustaining medical equipment, please notify your electric cooperative now so it can be aware of the situation. Do not wait for an outage. Have an emergency generator or backup power in place.
In addition, unless you are personally affected, stay away from stormdamaged areas. Utility and other emergency vehicles will need access to the roads. If you see utility workers along your road or in your yard, please do not approach them for updates. It slows the progress and is dangerous for you and the lineworkers who are focused on their job.
At Steuben County REMC, the process of electing your board of directors is a priority. For this reason, we provide you with three convenient ways to cast your vote in the election. You are able to vote by mail or online prior to the meeting. Beginning May 3, ballots similar to the one featured below will be mailed to you. To help you understand how to vote online or by mail, please review the instructions below
• Mark your selection by completely filling in the box.
• Detach ballot and place in the enclosed return envelope. Mail to Survey & Ballot Systems 7653 Anagram Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344
• Do NOT include bill payment in the return envelope.
• Ballots must be received by June 6, 2024.
• Please allow sufficient time for delivery.
• To access the login page of the official 2024 SCREMC Election, please type directvote.net/SCREMC into the address bar located at the top of your internet browser screen.
• Above and to the left is your Member Number and your Election Passcode.
• Use both of these numbers to log in.
• Once registered, follow the online voting instructions.
• Online voting begins on May 6, 2024, and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET, June 6, 2024.
• Do not mail your ballot if you plan to vote online.
• App: Open your SmartHub app, login and click the Vote Now button.
• Online: Login to your SmartHub online account and click the Vote Now button.
• Online voting begins on May 6, 2024, and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET, June 6, 2024.
• Do not mail your ballot if you plan to vote online.
• If you have any problems voting online, please email support@directvote.net or call 952-974-2339.
Many internet providers try to use gimmicks to entice people to switch to their service. Do you know what to look for and where to find them? Steuben County REMC wants to make sure our members understand the difference in for-profit advertising and how tech terminology can be used trick people.
See below for some of the gimmicks.
Many “Fiber” internet providers are not offering fiber to the home service. The fiber lines will stop at the road outside of your home. The fiber service will then be spliced to an existing coax or copper phone line. Your internet service will only be as fast as the slowest equipment.
Many internet providers do not provide symmetrical upload and d ownload speeds making conference calls, gaming, and many other online activities challenging. For some providers, it is not truly an unlimited data plan, as they will throttle speeds when data limits are re ached.
Terms and conditions may specify additional fees related to auto pay, equipment rentals, and installation fees.
“$24.99 $59.99”
Watch out for the promotional pricing hook. It may include large price jumps, hidden fees, and contracts after a short period of time, 3-6 months or up to 1 year.
Limited availability in areas because of the infrastructure cos ts they are targeting the densely populated areas that may already have other internet providers in the are a. Our membership has full access to a completed total fiber network.
Fees may be specified in the terms and conditions on early termi nation which can include reimbursement for installation costs and equipment. An implied multi-year contract based on promotional pricing.
Operation Round Up, a charitable giving program initiated by Steuben County REMC, empowers our members to positively impact our local community. Through this program, members have the opportunity to automatically round up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar. These small contributions are then pooled into a fund supporting various charitable causes in our area.
• Rounding up: Participating members’ electric bills are rounded up to the next highest dollar. The average estimated annual donation is approximately 50 cents per month or $6 annually, with a maximum of $11.88.
• Distribution: The additional change collected from thousands of participating members adds up significantly. Steuben County REMC disburses these funds quarterly through a volunteer board of directors.
• Local impact: The Operation Round Up program has been making a difference since its launch in June 2004. To date, it has donated over $790,000 to more than 560 projects within our local community.
• $68,000 to 14 local charities and community projects: Steuben County REMC members recently donated a substantial amount to support various initiatives in our area. These contributions directly benefit local organizations and enhance the wellbeing of our community.
• 80% participation: Approximately 80% of our members participate in the program by rounding up their electric bills. These seemingly small donations collectively create a significant impact in Steuben County.
• Non-profit organizations: Operation Round Up's funds primarily support local non-profit organizations. These groups contribute to economic development or enhance the quality of life for our membership.
• The application deadlines are June 28, Sept. 27, and Dec. 27 — the last Friday of the month.
• Apply: Non-profit 501c(3) organizations can apply at steubenfoundation.org
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
• Opt-in: If you’d like to participate in the Operation Round Up program, simply call our office at 260-665-3563.
• Learn more: For additional information, visit our website at remcsteuben.com/ operation-round-up
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the 2023 Operation Round Up volunteer board for their dedication to our community:
• Craig Ralston (President)
• Cheryl Reed (Vice President)
• Nicole Lovett
• Deb Delancey (term limit)
• Gus Reed (term limit)
• Dale Chard (term limit)
• Two Steuben County REMC employees
Their commitment ensures that Operation Round Up continues to positively impact the lives of our members and the wellbeing of our local area.
We would like to thank you for your years of service on the Steuben County REMC Operation Round Up board.
McMillen Health, 2023 preventive health education for Steuben County youth
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana, Youth mentoring programs in Steuben County
Prairie Heights High School, E-sports and computer graphics lab
Community Harvest Food Bank of NE IN, Inc., Steuben County farm wagon
Hoosiers Feeding The Hungry, “Meat” the Need
Boomerang Backpacks, 2023-2024 school year
Land of Lakes Family Health Services, Medical referral and financial medical assistance program
Fremont Youth and Community Outreach Center, Equipment — capacity increase
Steuben County Cancer Association, Inc, Taking care of our neighbors
Steuben County Council on Aging, Improving overall health through communication and nutritional education
Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Junior Achievement K-5 in-school programming 2023-2024
Erin’s House for Grieving Children, Inc., Erin’s House grief support services for children and teens in Steuben County
Steuben Arts Scene, 2024 art events
American Red Cross, Home fire relief program in Steuben County
NONCURRENT LIABILITIES
1,430,915 1,483,864
1,252,553 1,243,646
5,246,420 $4,172,002
Wayne Gingerich, President
DISTRICT 7 (Salem Township)
Larry Jack*, Vice President
DISTRICT 8 (Steuben, Smithfield and Grant Townships)
Gary Shough, Secretary/Treasurer
DISTRICT 1 (Greenfield and Millgrove Townships)
Scott Charters
DISTRICT 2 (Jamestown)
Bill Snyder
DISTRICT 3 (Fremont and Clear Lake Townships)
Mike Kurtz*
DISTRICT 4 (Jackson Township)
Carter Snider*
DISTRICT 5 (Pleasant Township)
Neasa Kalme
DISTRICT 6 (Scott and York Townships)
Marc Nelson
DISTRICT 9 (Otsego, Richland and Franklin Townships)
*UP FOR RE-ELECTION
James A. McEntarfer Corporate Counsel/Lawyer
Leonard J. Andorfer & Co., LLP
Certified Public Accountants/ Auditors
Could this newly-discovered brain fuel solve America’s worsening memory crisis?
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — Millions of Americans take the supplement known as CoQ10. It’s the coenzyme that supercharges the “energy factories” in your cells known as mitochondria. But there’s a serious flaw that’s leaving millions unsatisfied.
As you age, your mitochondria break down and fail to produce energy. In a revealing study, a team of researchers showed that 95 percent of the mitochondria in a 90-year-old man were damaged, compared to almost no damage in the mitochondria of a 5-year-old.
Taking CoQ10 alone is not enough to solve this problem. Because as powerful as CoQ10 is, there’s one critical thing it fails to do: it can’t create new mitochondria to replace the ones you lost.
And that’s bad news for Americans all over the country. The loss of cellular energy is a problem for the memory concerns people face as they get older.
“We had no way of replacing lost mitochondria until a recent discovery changed everything,” says Dr. Al Sears, founder and medical director of the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine in Palm Beach, Florida. “Researchers discovered the only nutrient known to modern science that has the power to trigger the growth of new mitochondria.”
Dr. Sears explains, “This new discovery is so powerful, it can multiply your mitochondria by 55 percent in just a few weeks. That’s the equivalent of restoring decades of lost brain power.”
This exciting nutrient — called PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) — is the driving force behind a revolution in aging. When paired with CoQ10, this dynamic duo has the power to reverse the agerelated memory losses you may have thought were beyond your control.
Dr. Sears pioneered a new formula — called Ultra Accel II — that combines both CoQ10 and PQQ to support maximum cellular energy and the normal growth of new mitochondria. Ultra Accel II is the first of its kind to address both problems and is already creating huge demand.
Over 47 million doses have been shipped to men and women across the country and sales continue to climb for this much sought-after brain fuel. In fact, demand has been so overwhelming that inventories repeatedly sell out. But a closer look at Ultra Accel II reveals there are good reasons why sales are booming.
The medical journal Biochemical Pharmacology reports that PQQ is up to 5,000 times more efficient in sustaining energy production than common antioxidants. With the ability to keep every cell in your body operating at full strength, Ultra Accel II delivers more than just added brain power and a faster memory.
People feel more energetic, more alert, and don’t need naps in the afternoon. The boost in cellular energy generates more power to your heart, lungs, muscles, and more.
“With the PQQ in Ultra Accel, I have energy I never thought possible at my age,” says Colleen R., one of Dr. Sears’s patients. “I’m in my 70s but feel 40 again. I think clearly, move with real energy and sleep like a baby.”
The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and Dr. Sears receives countless emails from his patients and readers. “My patients tell me they feel better than they have in years. This is ideal for people who are feeling old and run down, or for those who feel more forgetful. It surprises many that you can add healthy and productive years to your life simply by taking Ultra Accel II every day.”
You may have seen Dr. Sears on television or read one of his 12 best-selling books. Or you may have seen him speak at the 2016 WPBF 25 Health and Wellness Festival in South Florida, featuring Dr. Oz and special guest Suzanne Somers. Thousands of people attended Dr. Sears’s lecture on anti-aging breakthroughs and waited in line for hours during his book signing at the event.
Will Ultra Accel II Multiply Your Energy?
Ultra Accel II is turning everything we thought we knew about youthful energy on its head. Especially for people over age 50. In less than 30 seconds every morning, you can harness the power of this breakthrough discovery to restore peak energy and your “spark for life.”
So, if you’ve noticed less energy as you’ve gotten older, and you want an easy way to reclaim your youthful edge, this new opportunity will feel like blessed relief.
The secret is the “energy multiplying” molecule that activates a dormant gene in your body that declines with age, which then instructs your cells to pump out fresh
energy from the inside-out. This growth of new “energy factories” in your cells is called mitochondrial biogenesis.
Instead of falling victim to that afternoon slump, you enjoy sharp-as-a-tack focus, memory, and concentration from sunup to sundown. And you get more done in a day than most do in a week. Regardless of how exhausting the world is now.
Dr. Sears reports, “The most rewarding aspect of practicing medicine is watching my patients get the joy back in their lives. Ultra Accel II sends a wake-up call to every cell in their bodies… And they actually feel young again.”
And his patients agree. “I noticed a difference within a few days,” says Jerry from Ft. Pierce, Florida. “My endurance has almost doubled, and I feel it mentally, too. There’s a clarity and sense of wellbeing in my life that I’ve never experienced before.”
This is the official nationwide release of Ultra Accel II in the United States. And so, the company is offering a special discount supply to anyone who calls during the official launch.
An Order Hotline has been set up for local readers to call. This gives everyone an equal chance to try Ultra Accel II. And your order is backed up by a no-hassle, 90day money back guarantee. No questions asked.
Starting at 7:00 AM today, the discount offer will be available for a limited time only. All you have to do is call TOLL FREE 1-800-798-0074 right now and use promo code ICUA524 to secure your own supply.
Important: Due to Ultra Accel II recent media exposure, phone lines are often busy. If you call and do not immediately get through, please be patient and call back.
Looking to turn up the heat? These spicy recipes add a kick to some traditional Midwest fare.
FOOD PREPARED BY INDIANA CONNECTION STAFF PHOTOS BY KILEY LIPPSPatricia Piekarski, Harvey, Illinois
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup water
½ cup crushed corn chips
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 lb of ground beef or pork
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
FOR TOPPING:
4 buns
1 large tomato, chopped
½ cup cheese, shredded
1 cup lettuce, shredded
Combine the egg and water. Stir in corn chips and half of the taco seasoning. Combine the mix with the meat. Shape into four ½-inch patties. Fry till brown and cooked all the way through. Combine tomato sauce and remaining taco seasoning. Serve burgers on buns. Top with tomato sauce mixture, cheese, tomato, and lettuce.
Marilles Mauer, Greensburg, Indiana
8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
8 oz cream cheese
4 oz can diced jalapenos, drained
½ tsp salt
Two 8 oz cans of crescent rolls
¼ cup melted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
Preheat oven to 375 F. Shred an 8 oz block of pepper jack cheese. Add it to a mixing bowl with softened cream cheese, jalapenos, and salt. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Roll out both cans of crescent rolls and press the perforations together. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the dough. Starting with the short end of the dough, roll up each sheet of the dough tightly over the cheese mixture. Use a knife to slice each roll into eight 1-inch rolls, making 16 total with both crescent roll sheets. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Combine melted butter and garlic powder in a small bowl, then brush it evenly on top of the rolls. Place in the oven and bake for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Jan Steenburg, Oaktown, Indiana
2 lbs chicken or pork tenderloin cut into small cubes
1 cup onion, medium chopped
14 oz chicken broth (any brand, lowsodium or regular)
10 oz green salsa (canned or bottled)
20 oz (canned or bottled) whole green chilies, seeded and chopped
1 can black beans (low-sodium is fine), drained
SPICE MIX (mix separately and set aside)
3 tsp garlic, minced or mashed
1 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp flour
2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp jalapeno pepper, diced
1 Tbsp dried cilantro (or 3 Tbsp fresh, finely chopped)
1 Tbsp chili powder
In a large pot, brown meat and drain. Return the pot to the stove and add onion and broth to the browned meat. Simmer on low uncovered for one hour. (Give the pot a few stirs during cooking times to avoid sticking). Add spice mix and green salsa. Simmer another hour on low heat. Add green chilies and black beans. Simmer another hour on low heat, then it’s ready to serve. Garnish with shredded cheddar if desired. Serves well with a buttermilk biscuit.
Of the six children of Bobby Rahal, only one bears the name of a famous race driver — son Graham, named after legendary British
Maybe Bobby sensed something no ultrasound could: That Graham would be the only child to follow in his tire tracks. This month, 35-yearold Graham Robert Rahal hopes to qualify for his 17th Indianapolis 500, a race his father won in 1986.
Bobby Rahal takes no credit for clairvoyance, but he’s happy to explain his admiration for Hill, who drove to victory lane in 1966. “He might not have had the natural talent of a Jimmy Clark” — another of Bobby’s heroes, who won Indy in 1965 — “but he just had that work ethic and got things done.”
Indeed, Graham Hill remains the only driver in history to capture the so-called Triple Crown of Motorsport, which in his day comprised the Indy 500, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
Graham Rahal, meanwhile, just wants a less soul-crushing Indy 500 than he experienced last year. Driving for his father’s team, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, he overcame mechanical issues to qualify for the 33rd and final position in the starting grid. But in the closing moments of time trials, teammate Jack Harvey ousted him with a four-lap average that was just .007 mph faster.
Afterward, in an emotional scene witnessed on national television, Graham sat alone and dejected on the sidepod of his blue-and-white No. 15 car, head buried in his hands. Then, suddenly, he was surrounded by his consoling wife, Courtney Force, and two young daughters as he wiped away tears, mindful that he would sit out the 500 for the first time since 2008.
Or would he? The next day, a practice accident sent driver Stefan Wilson to the hospital and his team, Dreyer & Reinbolt Racing, searching for a replacement to drive the backup car in the race. “That evening, I got the call,” said Rahal. “I was in Dreyer’s at midnight.”
The two teams came to terms, allowing him to drive in the Indy 500.
Rahal called it an honor, adding, “My thoughts are with Stef Wilson. This isn’t the way we wanted to get into the race.”
But his good fortune took a sharp U-turn on Race Day. “Drivers, start your engines,” came the familiar command, but Rahal’s engine wouldn’t start. A faulty battery, which had to be replaced, put him two laps down before he ever got the car in motion. Rahal finished 22nd, still managing to overtake one-third of the field despite his disadvantage.
And so it went at the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
When Courtney Force offers her husband a comforting hug after a tough day at the track, she
knows firsthand the demands of high-stakes competition and the pressures of living in the shadow of a famous father.
Like her husband, Force not only grew up in a famous motorsports family, but took up the same profession as her dad, right down to his choice of fast cars. The youngest daughter of drag racing superstar
John Force, a 16-time National Hot Rod Association champion in the Funny Car class, she is the winningest female driver in the same class. Two of her three sisters also became drag racers, and now two nieces and a nephew are carrying on the family tradition — along with her still-unretired father, who turns 75 this month.
continued on page 22
continued from page 21
“Obviously, the types of racing that we do are very different,” said Rahal, who exchanged vows with her in 2015. “But she’s tremendous. She understands what I have to go through.”
She also understands what devoted fans and followers want to know, posting timely social media dispatches about major family events. For instance, she took to Twitter to announce her retirement from drag racing in January 2019 and confided in May 2020 that “we’ve been keeping a little secret … baby Rahal coming November 2020!”
Three months later, she shared a baby bump photo and invited recommendations on “travel-friendly gear for this future race track kid.”
And when Harlan Ann Rahal entered the world on November 2, Force quipped, “Rahal party of 3.” Naturally, the arrival of little sis Tinley Leighton Rahal on Sept. 6, 2022, also merited an update.
Despite the girls’ DNA, it’s probably too soon to plan for another Rahal taking the green flag at Indy or another Force girl firing up a dragster. But if it means anything, Rahal notes that with 3-year-old Harlan, “I can tell you there’s no doubt that kid loves racing” and that Tinley, too, has shown an early affinity for cars.
Rahal was about Harlan’s age when he began displaying the aptitude of a future race driver, said Bobby Rahal. “For anybody who knew him at about 3 or 4 years old, it was a foregone conclusion that Graham would end
up where he is,” he said, recalling the times he attended racing industry dinners with his son in tow. “Most little kids would tug at your sleeve and say, ‘Let’s go,’” said Bobby, yet Rahal would sit quietly in his lap, often falling asleep from physical exhaustion but never seeming to tire of the racing scene.
Rahal recalls it similarly. “As a little kid, I always wanted to be at the race track with my dad,” he said. “At 4 or 5 years old, I wanted to be a race car driver. I started racing go-karts at 10, and 25 years later, here I am.”
Rahal was only 11 when he won nine of 16 Ohio Valley Karting Association races and received Rookie of the Year honors. At 15, he got his first taste of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Formula BMW series, turning laps on the road course at an age when most teens can’t legally drive solo around their own block.
Not that his dad pushed him into it.
“To be honest, I wasn’t supportive of him racing,” said Bobby. “First, there was his education, and second, I didn’t want him to feel like he had to follow in somebody’s footsteps.”
Yet his determined son would not be deterred, and when Bobby finally allowed him to race go-karts, Rahal’s immediate success convinced him that the boy was a natural. “He was made for it, and it was made for him,” Bobby said.
Perhaps it’s in his bloodline and Bobby’s, since neither was the original racing Rahal. That title goes to Bobby’s father, Michael, an amateur race driver who piloted a Porsche, an Austin-Healey, and other high-end models in Sports Car Club of America events from 1957 through the 1970s. “Racing was his outlet, a place for him to have fun,” said Rahal.
His grandfather, who had immigrated with his family from what is now
Lebanon, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and started a successful wholesale food distributorship in Chicago. Still a family business, it exists today as Rahal Fruits & Flavors, with Bobby’s brother, Ian, as president and CEO.
The casual fan might imagine that when Rahal was deemed ready for prime time, Dad’s racing team supplied the wheels. But that’s not how his father raised him. “I thought it was important for him to drive for other people,” said Bobby, “and he drove for two of the greatest teams in history: Newman-Haas and Ganassi. He earned that — I didn’t buy him a ride.”
At times, Bobby probably wished he’d kept Rahal to himself, especially when his son notched his first Indy car victory — the rain-soaked Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in 2008 — and set a record (since broken) as the youngest driver to win an Indy car race at 19 years, 93 days old.
Rahal’s open-wheel racing career actually began a year earlier while still a student at New Albany High School in suburban Columbus, Ohio. His racing schedule forced him to miss out on the usual high school highlights, including his senior prom. But he tried to make it up to his would-be prom date by flying her to Texas to see him compete in the Grand Prix of Houston. She was
probably impressed — Rahal placed second.
Yet Bobby never demanded top finishes from his son. “Shockingly to a lot of people, his biggest piece of advice was to follow my heart,” said Rahal. “Do what you truly love.”
Bobby had a few other thoughts, too. “I told him I don’t care about how many races you win. What I care about most is that you’re a gentleman — good to the fans and good to your crew. Everything else will take care of itself.”
To hear Mark Jaynes talk, Rahal has already achieved as much.
continued on page 24
continued from page 23
“He’s a tremendous ambassador for the sport,” said Jaynes, the current “Voice of the 500” for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. Some of Rahal’s finest moments occurred during his news conference after he got bumped from the Indy 500 field, Jaynes said. “If you are raising a young child who’s a football player, a basketball player, a golfer, you owe it to them to sit them down and let them hear everything Graham had to say,” he said. “I don’t think anybody’s ever handled adversity with more class and grace.” Graham and his wife also operate the Graham and Courtney Rahal Foundation, a charity that has raised
$1.5 million for cancer research and PTSD treatment for military veterans.
The race driver’s life is never dull but never certain, either. As Rahal likes to say, “You’ve got to plan for when the music stops.” He’s nowhere near ready to park his Indy car permanently, but “you don’t know. Racing can change at any point, your life can change at any point, and you’ve got to be prepared.”
To that end, he has embraced the Indianapolis suburb of Zionsville in a big way. An August groundbreaking in Creekside Corporate Park kicked off construction on a new 115,000-square-foot headquarters
for his GR Brands, whose upscale portfolio encompasses dealerships for specialty cars and Italian-made motorcycles and motor scooters under the Ducati and Piaggio labels. He’s also building a new home in exclusive Holliday Farms, a golf community with a Pete Dye course.
In racing, as with many professions, the father’s success opens doors for the son but also imposes often unfair expectations. As a teenager, Rahal was first hailed in the press as his sport’s much-needed “phenom to capture the imagination of the American public” — then questioned a year later about why he hadn’t won in the past 20 races.
And his respectable 17-year career record, which includes six victories and two third-place finishes in the Indianapolis 500, will forever be measured against his father’s 24 wins, notably at Indy in 1986.
But it’s not as if Rahal has forgotten how to drive at Indianapolis. Last August on the road course, he was runner-up to Scott Dixon in the Gallagher Grand Prix, foiled by a lengthy yellow light after dominating most of the race.
His father cautions against comparing eras. “When I drove, the differences between teams were greater than they are today,” said Bobby. “In ’82, there were two or three, maybe four teams at most that were very
competitive, and everybody else was out there for the scraps. And there were only five or six people who had new cars. Today, everybody has new cars.”
It’s also worth noting that Rahal is only two years older than his dad was when Bobby took the checkered flag at the Indy 500. Not that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has lost any of its magic. “It’s a very special place, just as special today as it was for race one,” he said.
And when the music finally stops for Rahal, hopefully many years from now, it’s a safe bet that he’ll walk away from the sport in the same way he carried himself during his career — as a gentleman.
January 4, 1989
HOMETOWN
New Albany, Ohio
RESIDENCE
Zionsville, Indiana
22
FIRST INDYCAR WIN
Streets of St. Petersburg, 2008
SIX TOTAL INDYCAR WINS
St. Petersburg, 2008
Fontana, 2015
Mid-Ohio, 2015
Texas Motor Speedway, 2016
Detriot Race 1, 2017
Detriot Race 2, 2017
While attending Purdue University’s construction management program, Josh Durbin envisioned a dream job of building log homes in the Rocky Mountains, far from where he grew up in Steuben County.
After college in 2008, he was offered a job in the mountains. But that was right in the middle of the Great Recession. “I had fears of moving 2,000 miles away from home and being without a job with the downturn of the economy,” Durbin recalled. “So, I decided to stay home and look locally.” And that decision — to take the more familiar road home — has made all the difference.
Today, he’s the director of member services at Steuben County REMC. While growing up, Durbin said he knew of the REMC through a friend whose dad was a lineman and a family friend who is a director. When looking for an internship, one business stood out. “I saw ‘Tipmont REMC’ on the job board. I was like, ‘Hey, I know them.’ I knew enough to think it was going to be a hometown feel.”
As a student, Durbin worked three summers and partially through the year with Tipmont in drafting and engineering. It gave him a strong sense of the cooperative culture.
Though
Tipmont offered him a job upon graduation, he and his wife wanted to go home.
Josh Durbin Director of Member
Services
Steuben County REMC
He took a job near Fort Wayne as a project manager for a mechanical contractor that kept him either behind a computer or traveling around the country. While he liked it, the office was an hour from home, and his wife had just given birth to their first child. “I was looking for a change. I wanted to be home and present for my family life.”
In 2012, a friend at Steuben County REMC let him know they were looking for an energy advisor. “I knew these people live and breathe our community. And that’s ultimately what I wanted,” he recalled.
Durbin received more education and certification as an energy analyst once at the co-op. In 2018, he was promoted to his current position, which still has him advising on energy and puts him in charge of load management programs and large key accounts. It also puts him in more public contact as a co-op representative.
“The beauty of what I do now is I’m involved with Junior Achievement. I’m in the schools, which I really enjoy. I’m on the local economic development board. The ‘community’ in this job allows me to do that. I didn’t think that was really me or was a necessity. But the deeper I get into it, the more I feel like I fit,” he said.
And that’s what keeps him coming back to work each day. It’s also the people he works with. “We’re a family of sorts. Everybody says that. But, when you work for a local company, that’s ultimately true. Our kids go to school together; I may have gone to school with some of the employees. It’s a small world in the sense that everybody in the community is tied together one way or another.”
Over a foot in diameter!
Now you can honor a time-tested American farming icon with a clock dedicated to technical precision. This limited edition is available only from The Bradford Exchange.
The classic Model H tractor stands proud against a black-bordered, Farmall red background, along with the IH logo and “time-proved” slogan. Because it is in sync via radio waves with the of cial source of U.S. time in Fort Collins, Colorado, it is completely self-setting* and accurate to the second. You never need to adjust it, even for Daylight Savings. As night falls, a built-in sensor cues hidden LED lights to
automatically illuminate the glass-encased face and Roman numerals. The 14-inch diameter, sleek chromed housing is crafted of weatherresistant materials, ideal for indoors or outdoors.
Peak demand for this ne clock is expected, so don’t miss out. Make it yours now in four payments of $36.25, the first due before shipment, totaling $145**, backed by our unconditional, 365-day money-back guarantee. Send no money now—order today!
Many Hoosier homeowners add a backup generator in case the power goes out during weather turbulence.
Yet before severe weather arrives, homeowners should be sure to read and follow instructions in the manual that comes with the generator to ensure safe operation. There are some additional considerations that homeowners should particularly keep in mind with a home backup generator.
ENSURE A WHOLE HOME GENERATOR IS INSTALLED PROPERLY
Some whole home backup generators include an automatic transfer switch, which will automatically switch the house to receive power from the backup generator during a power outage. Other whole home generators include a manual switch. These generators require a lockout installed at the circuit panel that ensures that the house receives power from the grid or the backup generator. Consult with a qualified electrician to ensure proper generator installation.
NEVER OPERATE A PORTABLE GENERATOR IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE
Like gas-powered vehicles, gas-powered generators emit carbon monoxide that can build up quickly. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission highlights that carbon monoxide is considered the “invisible killer” because the gas cannot be seen or smelled. The commission also recommends that generators be used only outside, at least 20 feet from your home. Portable generators should also not be used in rainy or wet conditions, which could pose a risk of fire or electrocution.
NEVER PLUG A PORTABLE GENERATOR INTO A WALL OUTLET OR IMPROPERLY CONNECT IT TO A BUILDING’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, this can energize wiring systems for great distances and pose an electrocution risk for utility workers and others. Appliances should be plugged directly into a portable generator with the manufacturer’s supplied cords or a grounded (three-pronged) extension cord, according to OSHA. The organization also states to ensure that the cords are properly rated in watts or amps for their intended use.
Homeowners can contact their local electric cooperative’s energy advisor for any questions about a backup generator. Energy advisors can answer many questions about a home’s energy use. They may even provide a list of qualified electricians to help ensure a backup generat or is correctly prepared for when needed.
Exercise one of the greatest benefits of being a member of an electric co-op by voting for the upcoming year’s board of directors. Districts 4, 5, and 8 are up for election.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? “Serving on the Steuben County REMC board is an excellent way for me to give back to the community. Our REMC has certainly played an important part in bringing about positive changes in the qua lity of life for those living in northeast Indiana.”
OCCUPATION: Grain farmer; school bus driver, Prairie Heights School
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Sons of Legion, American Legion Orland Post 423, American Legion Riders Association, Jackson Township Board
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: NRECA Board Leadership, NRECA Credential Cooperative Director
FAMILY: Wife, Tina, eight children, and 11 grandchildren
INTERESTS: Enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? “I like to serve others. As a dedicated construction professional who has lived and worked throughout northeast Indi ana for over 40 years, I understand the importance of effective communication in turning visions into realities. My knowledge, leadership, and experience as a problem-solver help me find solutions that benefit all parties. I believe my skills will positively impact my communit y and Steuben County REMC.”
OCCUPATION: President and CEO, JICI Construction Company (26 years)
DEGREE/CERTIFICATION: AS Civil Engineering Technology (Purdue University), general contractors license (Multiple Locations), Indiana State Real Estate Broker’s License, OSHA safety trained, first aid training (Red Cross), CPR training (Red Cross)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Steuben County
EDC (director), Builders Association Northeast Indiana (director, past president), Angola Chamber of Commerce (director)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: Secretary of Defense - Patriot Award, Developer of the Year (2018-19) Presented by Wingate by Wyndham, Commercial Builders Council Merit Award (Division- Institutional), 1st place recipient of the Glen A. Brackney High Strength Award presented by the Indiana Chapter of the American Concrete Institute
FAMILY: Wife, Patricia, three children, and 14 grandchildren
INTERESTS: Enjoys spending time with his large, tightknit family and being a racing enthusiast after retiring from racing late model series
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? “As an elected director, I’ve had an outstanding experience. This directorship post enables continuous schooling about electrification, broadband, and our co-op community locally, regionally, and nationally. Put all this together, and it makes for a wonderful experience.”
OCCUPATION: Adjunct professor, Trine University and Hillsdale College; previously managing partner at Lake Cities Broadcasting
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Angola Area Chamber of Commerce (past president), Steuben County
YMCA (past president), 101 Lakes Kiwanis Club (past president), Charles McClure Reserve (past president), Steuben County Tourism Bureau (past president), Steuben County REMC Operation Round Up Board
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: NRECA Director Gold,
NRECA Board Leadership, NRECA Credential Cooperative Director, Ketner School of Business Chair’s Award, Trine University CCH Distinguish Faculty, Professor of the Year Trine University/KSB, Outstanding Alumnus of the WVU Department of Comm Studies, and Adjunct Professor of the Year at Tri-State University
FAMILY: Wife, Sandy, and two English Springer Spaniels
INTERESTS: Enjoys media consulting/research and working summers a Yogi Bear Jellystone Park- Fremont
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? “I have always been interested in Steuben County REMC and how it serves its members and our commu nity.”
OCCUPATION: Owner of Larry’s Repair Service (retired after 36 years)
DEGREE/CERTIFICATION: Technical training from various companies
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Pleasant Lake Lions Club (past president), Indiana Electric Cooperative (past director), Wabash Valley Power Alliance (director)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: NRECA Board Leadership, NRECA Credential Cooperative Director
FAMILY: Wife, Karen, and one son
INTERESTS: Enjoys antique tractors and farm equipment
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? “I want to use my experience and wisdom to assist the Steuben County REMC community and the other direc tors in the goals of financial, strategic planning, operating rates, and roles of service.”
OCCUPATION: HVACR Engineer (retired after 40 years)
DEGREE/CERTIFICATION: U.A.S.T.A.R. and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: U.S.G.B.C. Green Building Council, Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (R.S.E.S.), Community Emergency
Response Team (C.E.R.T.), and State & Federal Foster Parent Associations
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: U.A.S.T.A.R. HVAC Mastery
FAMILY: Wife, Christina, one son, and is a foster/ adopt parent
INTERESTS: Enjoys coaching Little League - Travel Baseball, chess, gardening, and camping
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for first notice of election results.
