2012 Board Election Candidates

As a member-owned cooperative, Adams Electric is guided by a board of directors comprised of qualified members who wish to serve. The co-op is divided into nine zones for the purposes of electing directors and to ensure that Adams Electric has representation from all areas of the service territory.

Each year, three of those zones have open seats to be filled through the election process. In 2012, board positions in Zones 1, 5 and 8 are open for election.

These zones comprise the following areas:

Zone 1- Adams County townships of Cumberland, Franklin, Freedom, Hamiltonban, Highland and Liberty; and the boroughs of Arendtsville, Carroll Valley, Fairfield and Gettysburg

Zone 5- York County townships of Codorus, Heidelberg, Jackson, Manheim, North Codorus, Paradise, Penn, West Manheim and York; and the boroughs of Glen Rock and Jefferson

Zone 8- Cumberland County townships of Hopewell, Shippensburg, Southampton, South Newton and Upper Mifflin; and the boroughs of Newburg and Shippensburg

The candidates listed below have been certified by the Credentials and Election Committee on Feb. 2, 2012 to run for 2012 director positions.

Watch candidate video interviews

Candidate Profiles

Zone 1 Candidate

F. L. “Ray” Schwartz of Fairfield has been a director since 2006. He is on the board’s Strategic Planning, Community Development and Board Performance committees and received his Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He is a registered professional engineer (PE – nuclear) and is retired from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Schwartz is a board member/trustee for the Adams County Library System and treasurer for the board of the Pommerian Early Music Guild. He and his wife, Patricia, have been married for 43 years, and have been members of Adams Electric since 1994. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Candidate Statement: “I want to serve my community using my energy background and management experience. I believe in the rural cooperative philosophy and the co-op business model, which is based in pragmatism and cooperation. These focuses enable co-op members to reap the benefits of lower rates and reliable service as opposed to stockholders in a for-profit company receiving dividends.”

Q&A

What strengths would you bring to the cooperative's Board of Directors?

I have a bachelor’s degree from West Point, and a master’s degree in engineering management from George Washington University. I am focused on leadership and public service, as evidenced by my service to the United States Army (including Vietnam) and 22 years of service to the U.S. government in the Department of Energy. In addition, I have 31 years of experience in the energy sector, i.e. operation and research and development, plus oversight and management experience in both the private and government sectors.

What is the biggest challenge facing Adams Electric Cooperative in the coming years?

Due to environmental concerns and increasing production costs, the biggest challenge facing Adams Electric in the coming years is insuring that electric rates for members are as low as responsibly possible in these times of economic turmoil; due to environmental concerns and increasing production costs. Another challenge is rational planning and implementation of technology, e.g. time-of-day pricing, load management, accommodating increasing use of electricity for automobiles, and other “smart” grid applications. Finally, there is a challenge to insure that investments in power production, to include green energy, are cost-effective, sound and reliable.

Why do you want to serve as an Adams Electric Cooperative director?

I want to continue to serve as an Adams Electric director by serving my community using my energy background and management experience. I believe in the rural cooperative philosophy and the co-op business model, which is based in pragmatism and cooperation. These focuses enable co-op members to reap the benefits of lower rates and reliable service as opposed to stockholders in a for-profit company receiving dividends.

Zone 5 Candidate

William E. Myers of Glenville is running for his second term as director. He has earned his Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate and is just two classes away from earning his board leadership certificate. He currently serves on the board’s Community Development Loan Fund committee and the Strategic Planning committee.

Myers has been a salesman for the Pioneer Hi-Bred Company for 40 years and is the manager of the Myers Hollow Farm L.L.C., which he runs with his brothers and sisters. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, York County, through which he has served two terms as a director, and a portion of time as the vice president. He has served on the Agriculture Security Board for West Manheim Township, and is a life member of the Pleasant Hill Volunteer Fire Company, and a member of the York County Fireman’s Association.

He and his wife, Nancy, have been married 47 years; have three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They have been members of Adams Electric since 1971.

Candidate Statement: “I have been a member of the co-op most of my life and the co-op has been good to me. I am at a point in my life where I am able to give back. I believe that from my past three years as a director, and the many classes I have taken, that I can put my knowledge to work to help the cooperative through another term.”

Q&A

What strengths would you bring to the cooperative’s Board of Directors?

I believe that from my past three years as director, and the many classes I have taken, I can put my knowledge to work to help the co-op for another term.

What is the biggest challenge facing Adams Electric Cooperative in the coming years?

I think the biggest challenges the co-op has for the future are the same as the past: fair rates for the members and reliable sources of power. Maybe these have to come from different technology, but it all comes down to keeping members happy.

Why do you want to serve as an Adams Electric Cooperative director?

I serve the co-op because I have been a member most of my life. The co-op has been good to me, and I have the time at this point in my life that now I can give back.

Zone 8 Candidates

S. Eugene Herritt of Shippensburg has been a director since 1985.  He is currently the secretary of Adams Electric Cooperative’s board, chair for the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA) board, president of Adam’s Electric’s subsidiary, Adams Utility Services Company (AUSCO), and is on the board of Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Solutions (MACS).

Herritt is a retired sales executive, and a member of the Shippensburg University Council of Trustees. He and his wife, Sally, have been Adams Electric members since 1976. He has a daughter, Andrea, and a grandson, Lyric.

Candidate Statement: “My greatest strength is the experience this board has offered me; an understanding of what is needed to keep rates as low as possible and reliability as high as possible. Having served on numerous boards within my community, the Adams Electric board gives me the best opportunity to directly affect the lives of our members in a positive manner. I receive great satisfaction in knowing my decisions improve the lives of my neighbors by coupling vision and fiscal responsibility.”

Q&A

What strengths would you bring to the cooperative’s Board of Directors?

My greatest strength is experience on the board, which offers a good understanding of what is needed to keep rates as low as possible and reliability as high as possible. Institutional knowledge of Adams Electric allows me insights to help in making decisions concerning current operations and future direction of the cooperative.

What is the biggest challenge facing Adams Electric in the coming years?

The biggest challenge facing the co-op is to keep rates down and reliability up. This involves interaction with our statewide organization and a strong understanding of fiscal responsibilities which the Board must address to best serve the cooperative’s members. Being aware of our “green” responsibility to preserve the environment is of increasing importance as well.

Why do you want to serve as an Adams Electric Cooperative director?

Having served on numerous boards within my community, the Adams Electric board gives me the best opportunity to directly affect the lives of our members in a positive manner. There is a great satisfaction in knowing your decisions improve the lives of your neighbors by coupling vision and fiscal responsibility.

Theresa M. Myers of Newburg is running for her first term as a director. She currently serves on the Cumberland and Perry County Mental Health and Intellectual Development Disabilities advisory board and is active with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Cumberland and Perry counties, having served as board secretary, board president and currently education committee chair. She also serves on the advisory committee for Northwest Human Services (NHS) Stevens Center in Carlisle.

Myers and her husband, Mark, have lived on co-op lines for nearly 12 years and are former Member Advisory Committee members. She has also served on the co-op’s Credentials & Election committee. Myers is a registered nurse and nurse practitioner, with more than 15 years’ experience. She received her master’s in nursing in 1998 from Georgia Southern University, and is a 2010 graduate of the Leadership Cumberland program in Cumberland County.

Candidate Statement: “I bring to the board a commitment to the co-op philosophy that co-ops are to be of service to their members and be good partners with the communities in the co-op’s service area. I am motivated to learn the electric power industry, and will devote the time needed for performing board duties. Members have a voice/vote in the future direction of the co-op. My willingness to serve is based on my belief that I want to give back to the community I live in. I am proud to be a member and want to continue the tradition of building a strong, positive relationship in the communities we serve. When possible, the co-op’s directors should be a reflection of the membership, as this allows the opportunity of benefiting from the richness of different viewpoints. By running for the director position, I am offering the membership both a choice and a new perspective.”

Q&A

What strengths would you bring to the cooperative's Board of Directors?

I bring to the board a commitment to the co-op philosophy that co-ops are to be of service to their members and be good-partners with the communities in the co-op’s service area. I have a history of proven board of director leadership experience.

I possess strong analytical, planning and decision making skills.  I am a team player and dedicated to the region.  I am motivated to spend the time that is necessary to learn the electric power industry and will devote the time needed for performing the board duties. My goal is to be a productive addition to the board and of service to the members.

What is the biggest challenge facing Adams Electric in the coming years?

Members expect reliable power service (no power outages) and to pay the lowest cost for that electricity. Thus, the biggest challenge for Adams Electric is achieving that balance of keeping operating costs low but charging the members a rate per kilowatt that allows enough margin to make the planned capital investments in the infrastructure and technology that is required to maintain an efficient system. A system that not only meets the current demands for service but allows for future growth and the adding of new homes and business development that will be connecting onto the grid for the first time.

This is not an easy task but an attainable one when there is good stewardship of the co-op’s resources, a thoughtful and realistic strategic planning process which is then combined with a strong management team and the ability and willingness to make correction(s) to the course if needed.

Why do you want to serve as an Adams Electric Cooperative Director?

Choice: Co-op members have a voice/vote in the future direction of the co-op when there are real choices to vote for when electing who will represent them. My willingness to serve is based in my belief that I want to give back to the community I live in.  I am proud to be an Adams Electric member and want to continue the tradition of building a strong, positive relationship in the communities we serve. Now is the time for me to offer my talents and skills to the cooperative and that is why I am running.

Diversity:  When possible the co-op’s directors should be a reflection of the membership as this allows the opportunity of benefiting from the richness of different viewpoints. By running for the director position, I am offering the membership both a choice and a new perspective.