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Membership-Adopted Board & Bylaws

For more than 80 years, Connexus Energy has been owned and governed by members like you. The Connexus Energy Board of Directors is elected by the members to provide oversight of the electric cooperative. They establish rates, set the cooperative’s goals and strategic direction, provide financial oversight, and act as the policy-making body of Connexus Energy. The board is governed by the cooperative’s bylaws, which are adopted by the membership.

In adherence to the bylaws, an annual election is held in which any eligible member may seek election to the board of directors in the district where they reside. Our director elections take place in conjunction with our Annual Meeting of the membership, typically held in April at Connexus Energy. In early April, all members receive an Annual Meeting mailing with information on how to participate in the Annual Meeting as well as voting options for the election of the directors.

Learn more about the director election and Annual Meeting.

Your Board at work for you, our members

During the past year, the Board of Directors has reviewed, discussed, and taken action on many topics. We continue to keep our cooperative strong as we plan for the future. View some of the items below. For additional details, meeting minutes are available in your member portal.

  • Program rates, guidelines, and business practices
  • Wholesale power costs
  • Current production of the cooperative’s solar and battery storage and plans for the future
  • Audit of 2023 financial statements, selecting 2024 auditor, and approving 2024 financial plan
  • Cash Back allocation to members (capital credits)
  • The Connexus Energy Foundation
  • Governance self-assessment process
  • Reports on a wide range of cooperative items, including:
    • J.D. Power Electric Residential Customer Satisfaction Study
    • Safety, power reliability, and service quality
    • Identity theft protection program
    • Cyber security testing results
    • Insurance summaries on property, liability, vehicle, and cyber
    • Employee benefits program

Contact a director regarding board-related matters at [email protected].

Current Board of Directors

District 1

Mark Ethen   Sam Villella

Mark Ethen

Vice Chair

 

Sam Villella

Director

 

District 2

Rick Braastad   Mike Thews

Rick Braastad

Director

 

Mike Thews

Assistant Secretary/Treasurer

 

District 3

Fran_Bator.jpg   Shelly-Peterson_BDI_8852.jpg

Fran Bator

Chair

 

Shelly Peterson

Secretary/Treasurer

 

District 4

Joe Gruenes   Angie Ronayne

Joe Gruenes

Director

 

Angie Ronayne

Director

 

 Director District Map

The Connexus Energy service territory is divided into four director districts, each with two director seats. District bylaws are designed as stipulated in the cooperative’s bylaws (Article III, Section 2(a), page 5).

View the Director District Map.

Connexus Energy Board Meetings

The 2024 regular and special meetings of the Connexus Energy Board of Directors will be held on the following days beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Connexus Energy, unless otherwise noted, as of January 1, 2024.

  • Thursday, January 18
  • Thursday, February 15
  • Thursday, March 21
  • Thursday, May 16
  • Thursday, June 13
  • Thursday, July 18
  • Thursday, August 15
  • Thursday, September 19
  • Thursday, October 17
  • Thursday, November 21
  • Friday, December 13 – Executive Session (proprietary)
  • Thursday, December 19

Meeting dates are subject to change by the Board of Directors based on scheduling circumstances.

How to attend a board meeting

We ask that members interested in attending a board meeting contact the office of President/CEO at 763.323.2721 at least one week prior to the meeting in consideration of potential scheduling changes and seating coordination (Board Policy 1-16). Minnesota Statue 308A.327 specifies several categories by which cooperative boards may close a meeting or portion of a meeting. Connexus Energy’s discussions regarding power supply directly impact the cooperative’s competitive or financial position, involving one or more business opportunities, and require consideration of proprietary information from prospective partners.

Board meeting agendas and minutes are available by logging into your Connexus Energy account and selecting Board Meeting under your profile picture.

Members who wish to present an agenda item regarding cooperative business shall complete and submit a request form at least two weeks prior to the meeting for consideration of the Board Executive Committee. Email the completed request form to [email protected]. If approved, members will be notified of their agenda time prior to the meeting date. Any written or demonstrative materials for the meeting must be submitted two days prior to the meeting.

Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Connexus Energy provide the framework for governance and conducting business, with information on membership, board of directors’ elections, Cash Back program, and more.

View Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

your most powerful membership®

These four words focus on the most important component of our cooperative: our members. In a cooperative, everything we do is for the benefit of our membership. This vision provides daily inspiration to build powerful partnerships with our members.

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