2010 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

District 1 Director: Donald Hawk, CCD

Donald is a self-employed farmer who owns and has operated Skyline Turkey Farm, Inc. for the past forty years. Donald has served as a Township Trustee, Soil and Water Supervisor, a Member of the Ohio Poultry Marketing Board, the Knox County Farm Bureau and is a member of the St. Luke Catholic Church. Donald is married to Janet and they have four children; Daniel, Delbert, Joseph and Shannon. District Map.

District 2 Director: Nelson Smith, CCD, BL

Nelson is a 1966 graduate of Newark High School and attended OSU. He served four years in the Navy. Nelson is the retired publisher of The Utica Herald, The Heath News, The Pataskala Post and On Target, a Newark Air Force Base publication. He is a former part-owner of Chapel Hill Golf Course in Mt. Vernon. He is married to Kim and between them they have four children. Nelson was elected to the board in 2003. He is presently the Chairman of the Board. District Map.

District 3 Director: Jack Schmidt, Jr., CCD, BL

Jack is the recently retired owner/operator of Timbuk Farms in Granville. Timbuk employed over 60 people growing greenhouse plants and Christmas trees for nationwide distribution. Electricity, propane an natural gas were major production expenses for his business. Jack has served on many state and national industry and church boards and was the President of a national trade association. He is involved with the Highwater Congregational Church's finance ministry and chair of the church endowment fund. He was involved with getting zoning approved in McKean Township; serving on that zoning board for six years. After attending The Ohio State University, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Forestry at Michigan State University. Jack served as an officer in the U.S. Army. Through 20-plus days of training sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Jack has earned his Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board Leadership Certificates. Jack and his wife, Nancy, have four children and reside in McKean Township. He was first elected to The Energy Cooperative Board of Directors in 2004. District Map.

District 4 Director: Daniel Dupps

Dan is a retired educator. He was an English and Government Teacher. He was the Principal of Heath High School from 1973-1982 and the Superintendent of the Heath City Schools from 1982-1994. He was also the Mayor of the City of Heath from 1998-2007. Dan is involved in the Licking County Hospital Commission, the Heath Community Arts Council, the Newark Rotary Club, the Heath Sertoma Club and the Heath American Legion. Dan received both his Bachelor of Science Degree and his Master of Arts in Educational Administration from Ohio University in Athens. He is married to Shirley and has three children. Dan attends the Heath United Methodist Church. District Map.

District 5 Director: John Parkinson, CCD, BL

John is a self-employed dairy farmer. He graduated from Utica High School. He was Utica high school's first FFA member to receive the American Farmer Degree. He is a member of the Knox County Farm Bureau and has been a 4-H advisor for over 20 years. He is a member of the Utica Presbyterian Church. John has been married to Rosanne for 20 years and has 3 children. John was elected to the board in 2003. District Map.

District 6 Director: John Klauder, CCD, BL

John Klauder was born and raised in Granville. He received a Finance Degree from Miami University (OH) and followed up with a Masters in International Business. He worked overseas in international banking. He became interested in landscape design and started his own business in New Hampshire. He returned to Granville in 1990 and started his own business - John Klauder Associates Landscape & Design. John has been a board member for the Licking Land Trust, Granville Chamber of Commerce and the Granville Rotary. John is married to Anne and has 2 children. John was elected to the Board in 2005. He is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of the Board. District Map.

District 7 Director: Dustin Buckingham

Dustin is a Master Electrician licensed in Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana. He has operated Buckingham Electrical LLC in Knox County since 2004. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Ohio Northern University. Dustin is the President of Softball in the Howard Youth League, a softball coach and a Sunday School teacher at the Millwood Church of Christ. Dustin is married to Amy and has three children. District Map.

District 8 Director: Rachel Oktavec

Rachel Oktavec, resident of Licking County, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of The Energy Cooperative. Ms. Oktavec was among three candidates interviewed by existing Board Directors and was chosen to fill the district eight seat vacated in December of 2009. She received her B.A. in Criminology from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She received her law degree from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio and she is currently serving as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with the Licking County Prosecutor’s Office. She also serves on the Licking County United Way Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Licking County Board and The Energy Cooperative’s Operation Round Up Foundation Board. Ms. Oktavec is a member of St. Francis De Sales Parish. District Map.

District 9 Director: Tom Graham

Tom lives in Jackson Township - Muskingum County, where he farms corn, soybean, wheat and hay and raises cattle and hogs in partnership with his family. Tom has an Associate Degree in Construction from Texas State Technical College. He is the fiscal officer for Jackson Township, serves on the Muskingum County Fair Board and is a 4-H advisor. He is a past director of the Ohio Federation of Soil & Water Districts and served on the Ohio Farm Bureau State Young Farmers Committee. He and his wife, Sue have three children and attend Frazeysburg United Methodist Church. He was elected to the board in May of 2009. District Map.

* The designation of CCD (Credentialed Cooperative Director) and BL (Board Leadership Certification) is given to a Board Director after completing a series of certification classes provided by NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association).