SDCEA 2020 Director Candidates Q&A

Sangre de Cristo Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit, corporate cooperative that provides electric service to about 13,000 accounts in five counties. SDCEA is self-regulated and governed by a seven-member board of directors elected by and from our membership. Five board members serving staggered terms are elected from director districts and two are elected at-large.

This year, three board seats are up for election. One board seat from rural Chaffee/Lake County is contested. Incumbent Suzanne (Suzy) Kelly is running for the seat, challenged by candidate Jo Reese.

The town of Buena Vista seat held by David A Volpe and the at-large seat held by Joseph Redetzke are both unopposed.

Rural Chaffee/Lake County

Vote for one candidate.

Suzanne (Suzy) Kelly

How long have you been a member of SDCEA?

60 years

What is your philosophy in terms of whom you would represent as a board member?

I represent all the consumers in our five counties in central Colorado. I am available for questions and answers and, if I don’t know the answer, I will find out and get back to anyone with a question.

What are your personal goals for SDCEA, and what steps would you take as a board member to achieve these goals?

Keep the power flowing to all our consumers, especially the remote rural people. Learn about alternative energies and their applicability to our high mountain area including, besides wind and solar, small hydro and micro-grids. Keep the rates affordable.

What responsibility do board members have to communicate with the membership of the cooperative?

Board members have to be willing to talk to people and listen to their concerns.

What specifically qualifies you to serve as a corporate fiduciary/utility regulator?

I’ve served as Sangre de Cristo director since 1990; past president, vice president, and current secretary of the SDCEA board. I have attained a Director Gold Credential, the highest recognition of the successful completion of continuing education on the management of and the upholding of fiduciary duty to the cooperative.

What other education and background experience do you have that specifically apply to governing this electric cooperative?

I’ve completed 55 courses from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in electric cooperative utility management. Courses taken include board planning; rates and equity management; understanding electric transmission issues; understanding utility operations; financial strategy; strategic planning; governance and policy issues; rules and procedures; policy and electric supply; developing technological solutions; capital credits; disaster management; energy efficiency and conservation; renewables in the power supply; risk management; and how to take a continuous improvement approach to governing your cooperative.

What are the three most important issues to members that SDCEA should focus on?

Reliability of power, cost of power, and response on outages.

How do you view the future of energy in central Colorado (i.e., affordability, renewable energy, electric vehicles, battery storage, micro-grids, etc.) and what is SDCEA’s primary responsibility moving forward?

Sangre has to be open to new technologies in the electric industry but remain aware of the reliability of our system. Battery storage is an important asset that cooperatives are studying to complement renewable energy. We have installed electric car chargers on our system. We have a number of net metering accounts already on our system.

Please add anything else you would like members to consider.

As a rancher at the base of beautiful Mt. Princeton, a businesswoman and having raised a family here, I am connected to many different people in this region. My experience and background allow me to represent a broad cross-section of SDCEA consumers in SDCEA’s entire service area: Chaffee, Lake, Fremont, Custer, and Saguache counties. Electricity is essential to the things we all need to do each day. I have always strived to manage this cooperative to provide safe, reliable power to all the consumers in our area with local needs in mind. I was also co-owner of the iconic Hi Rocky Store in Buena Vista for 26 years (sold business in 2003). I understand the challenges of ranch and land management and of running a small-town business in our area.

Jo Reese

How long have you been a member of SDCEA?

I’ve been a member since 1995.

What is your philosophy in terms of whom you would represent as a board member?

My philosophy, as a future SDCEA board member, is to equally respect all shareholders while striving to enhance and protect shareholder values.

What are your personal goals for SDCEA, and what steps would you take as a board member to achieve these goals?

I will do whatever I can to make forward progress with any agreed-upon immediate or long term objectives by applying the knowledge I’ve acquired from my many years of business management. I want to be instrumental in finding ways to help to keep costs down for members.

What responsibility do board members have to communicate with the membership of the cooperative?

My responsibility to the SDCEA members is to embrace transparency and receptiveness concerning their immediate and future needs, suggestions, and objectives.

What specifically qualifies you to serve as a corporate fiduciary/utility regulator?

I have a 25-year corporate accounting background, while working in many positions of trust. I make all decisions based on sound business principles and utmost integrity. I’m currently a licensed realtor, while also owning and managing a local business. I’ve maintained a solid reputation with the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce for many years, as well as with members of this community.

What other education and background experience do you have that specifically apply to governing this electric cooperative?

I majored in accounting and finance in college. I’ve also developed and managed multiple successful businesses while constantly learning new ways to promote and encourage growth, profits, and company image. I routinely find ways to gain education or improve upon my business skills. Lately, I’ve been learning new ways to promote and conduct business online more efficiently.

What are the three most important issues to members that SDCEA should focus on?

The most important issues, to members, for SDCEA to focus on: Consider newer or better options to save members money on their monthly bills, transparency and member involvement, exploring and/or adopting greener approaches to our energy supply.

How do you view the future of energy in central Colorado (i.e., affordability, renewable energy, electric vehicles, battery storage, micro-grids, etc.) and what is SDCEA’s primary responsibility moving forward?

I envision a more progressive inclusion of newer, greener, and more efficient means to acquire, develop, maintain, and consume energy while never losing sight of keeping members’ bills as low as possible. SDCEA’s primary responsibility is to honestly consider new ideas from the members or other resources, and be willing to explore new ways to save members money or proactively reduce our carbon footprint.

Please add anything else you would like members to consider.

I’ve always been a go-getter and straight shooter, especially when it comes to business. I’m able to maintain laser focus on primary objectives while being open-minded for solutions to achieve them. I’m loyal and sincere when it comes to my commitments. I also attend local group meetings that focus on ways to improve or preserve our community and/or environment, including a group that is dedicated to the advancement of clean energy and energy conservation. I’ve been learning about and absorbing as much as I can about solar gardens, battery storage, electric transportation, energy audits, and weatherization programs. I would love to see someone become a liaison between SDCEA and the public, concerning information-gathering and obtaining energy-saving suggestions for our members. On a more personal note, I enjoy the outdoors by hiking or camping. I live on a ranch raising cows, chickens, bees and produce.

Town of Buena Vista

Unopposed seat

David A Volpe

How long have you been a member of SDCEA?

I have been a member since 2003.

What is your philosophy in terms of whom you would represent as a board member?

Providing safe, reliable, affordable, and responsible energy is our mission. As a board member, my philosophy is to consider this mission with every thought, discussion, and decision. I am running for the director position for the town of Buena Vista district but represent all members equally.

What are your personal goals for SDCEA, and what steps would you take as a board member to achieve these goals?

As a former business owner and long time member of town council, transparency through clear policies and careful documentation is a priority for me. I want the members to know we are operating with open and honest policies with their interests at the forefront of decision making.

What responsibility do board members have to communicate with the membership of the cooperative?

I see my role in the communication chain as coming from the bottom up, meaning that I am charged with representing the voice of the community to Sangre. Public communication is performed primarily by the CEO, board chair, and designated SDCEA staff.

What specifically qualifies you to serve as a corporate fiduciary/utility regulator?

Through my various roles as a pharmacist, trustee, and small business owner, I have extensive experience in managing budgets and maintaining regulatory compliance. I believe in asking questions and gaining a thorough understanding of the operation, so I can be an effective leader for SDCEA and its members.

What other education and background experience do you have that specifically apply to governing this electric cooperative?

I have served the town of Buena Vista as a member of the board of trustees for the past six years. In addition to strengthening the relationship between the two, I have enjoyed sharing strategies and successes from each organization.

What are the three most important issues to members that SDCEA should focus on?

Safety, reliability, and sustainability.

How do you view the future of energy in central Colorado (i.e., affordability, renewable energy, electric vehicles, battery storage, micro-grids, etc.) and what is SDCEA’s primary responsibility moving forward?

The landscape that the electric industry operates within is changing at an unprecedented pace. Sangre exists as a distribution cooperative, meaning we are focused on the “last mile” between energy generation and use. As technologies change, we need to not only adapt but to be industry leaders on behalf of our members.

At-Large

Unopposed seat

Joseph Redetzke

How long have you been a member of SDCEA?

I have been a member since 2013.

What is your philosophy in terms of whom you would represent as a board member?

For the past four-plus years, I have represented the 13,000+ members of SDCEA advocating for reliable, affordable, and carbon-free energy.

What are your personal goals for SDCEA, and what steps would you take as a board member to achieve these goals?

I envision SDCEA to be a strong community leader in providing our members with energy that is reliable, affordable, and environmentally friendly through the emerging technologies that are developing such as battery storage, solar installations, microgrids, etc. An important goal will be to utilize our human resources to research the most cost-effective technologies that offer the best return on SDCEA’s investment to provide economical energy to our members.

What responsibility do board members have to communicate with the membership of the cooperative?

Board members must be available and responsive to our members if they have questions or issues with SDCEA. My contact information is readily available on the SDCEA website and I do not hesitate to take a call from a member, which I have done many times in the past four years.

What specifically qualifies you to serve as a corporate fiduciary/utility regulator?

I have been a director on SDCEA’s board since January 2015, currently serving as chairman of the board of directors since June 2018. I have also served a two-year term as treasurer and am currently serving a two-year term as secretary on the board of the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the trade organization that represents Colorado’s 22 electric cooperatives. Currently, I serve on the contract committee at Tri-State Generation & Transmission cooperative in Denver negotiating for more local generation sources. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Fort Hays State University and have served five years on the alumni association board of directors.

What other education and background experience do you have that specifically apply to governing this electric cooperative?

I have successfully completed 23 advanced-education courses from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association targeted toward governing and guiding SDCEA. Course subjects include board duties and liabilities; legal, financial and fiduciary responsibilities; risk management; strategic planning; anticipatory management; new energy source’s issues; and understanding the complexities of today’s power supply and alternatives that presently exist.

What are the three most important issues to members that SDCEA should focus on?

1. Stable and the lowest possible rates for our mountain service areas. 2. Locally generated, carbon-free energy at an affordable price. 3. The greatest workforce in Colorado to ensure our members have reliable energy being supplied by a financially sound SDCEA.

How do you view the future of energy in central Colorado (i.e., affordability, renewable energy, electric vehicles, battery storage, micro-grids, etc.) and what is SDCEA’s primary responsibility moving forward?

We are in a disruptive market environment that requires constant monitoring, study, and evaluation of these new, emerging technologies in the energy sector that may be beneficial to our members and to SDCEA. It is imperative we keep abreast of these new technologies and implement them on a timely basis if they are strategically and fiscally beneficial to SDCEA and to our members.

Please add anything else you would like members to consider

It is an honor to represent the members of SDCEA for the past four years on the board of directors in a very evolving and exciting era to employ the proper resources to provide carbon-free energy to our members. I am active in the Buena Vista community as a member of the Optimists Club, former director and president of the Game Trail HOA, and former member of the finance committee at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. I have had the privilege of working in over 60 countries, experiencing many cultures, customs, and creating everlasting relationships with clients.

Mail-In Ballot

Due to the uncertainty caused by public health restrictions arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, ALL 2020 director elections will be conducted by written, mail-in ballot only. Written ballots will not be accepted at the annual meeting. DO NOT drop the ballot off at Sangre de Cristo Electric Association. The ballot must be mailed in the envelope provided by Survey Ballot Systems for your vote to be counted. A voice vote for the town of Buena Vista and at large director positions WILL NOT be called at the annual meeting.