CFC Members Approve Bylaw Changes

CFC members approved board-recommended bylaw changes during the 56th CFC Annual Membership Meeting in New York City June 30. 

The changes update the bylaw requirement that NRECA appoint two directors to the CFC board, converting those positions to two new at-large director seats subject to term limits and elected by CFC voting members. Candidates for one of the two new at-large seats will be selected from Class B members (generation and transmission) and the other candidates from Class D (national associations). The first election for the new at-large seats will take place at the CFC Annual Membership Meeting in 2027.

During the annual meeting, CFC Board President Anthony Norton reflected on his six years as a CFC director and shared what makes CFC unique. 

“In my view, the thing that makes the people who are part of CFC so special is our ‘Harmony of Purpose’,” said Norton, who is a director at Snapping Shoals Electric Membership Corporation in Georgia. “What do I mean by ‘Harmony of Purpose’? It’s about having an alignment around a shared purpose with everyone in the organization, from the executive leadership team and the board of directors to the front-line employees. And that shared purpose is to support the success of electric cooperatives.”

Norton said being in harmony does not necessarily mean everyone agrees all the time or always reaches the same conclusions, but it means everyone is united in their commitment to ensuring CFC fulfills its purpose as a cooperative. Norton also spoke about another kind of harmony—the musical variety.

“I can’t mention the word harmony without telling you that music plays a very important part of my life,” Norton said. “I've been in a gospel quartet since the mid-’80s and a choir singer since the mid-’60s, and I can tell you that any successful group must learn how to harmonize together.”

He noted that there are some similarities between singing in a quartet and serving on a board. Each person has a different part to play, and each part is integral to the group achieving harmony.

“CFC’s board members, while having diverse backgrounds and perspectives, work together in harmony by staying focused on CFC’s purpose of supporting the success of electric cooperatives,” Norton said. “In both situations, listening to each other is key. And when everyone comes together to work as one…something beautiful happens.”

Norton concluded his president’s report by sharing how grateful he was for his time on the board and the experiences it afforded him. “I am a richer person for it,” Norton said.

At its organizational meeting following the annual meeting, the CFC Board of Directors elected officers and selected committee chairs. 

CFC Board Elects Officers, Committee Chairs for 2025–2026  

L-R: Brent R. McRae, Mark A. Suggs and Shane Larson.  

At its organizational meeting following the annual meeting, the CFC Board of Directors elected officers and selected committee chairs.  

BOARD PRESIDENT

Mark A. Suggs, Executive Vice President and General Manager   
Pitt & Greene Electric Membership Corporation (NC)

BOARD VICE PRESIDENT 

Brent R. McRae, Director  
McCone Electric Cooperative (MT)

BOARD SECRETARY-TREASURER

Shane Larson, CEO
Rock Energy Cooperative (WI) 

CHAIR, AUDIT COMMITTEE

Kendall J. Montgomery, General Manager and CEO
Fort Belknap Electric Cooperative (TX) 

CHAIR, CORPORATE RELATIONS COMMITTEE

Jared Echternach, President and CEO
Beltrami Electric Cooperative (MN) 

CHAIR, FINANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Donnie Bidegain, Board Secretary-Treasurer
Farmers’ Electric Cooperative of New Mexico 

CHAIR, LOAN COMMITTEE

Bruce Everhart, Director
RushShelby Energy (IN) 

New Directors Seated on the Board

Five new directors elected during CFC district meetings in 2024 took their seats on the board, beginning three-year terms: 

District 1

Laura T. Phillips, Board Secretary-Treasurer 
Delaware Electric Cooperative (DE)

District 2

Mike McDonald, Board Chair
Washington Electric Membership Corporation (GA) 

District 8

Jimmy Taylor, Board President 
Northfork Electric Cooperative (OK)

District 9

Scott Peters, CEO 
Columbia Rural Electric Association (WA)

At-Large

William A. Roberts, Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer 
Buckeye Power (OH)