Board of Directors & Leadership
CIPCO's leadership remains steady while facing a landscape of opportunities and challenges.
CIPCO Board Members
Paul Heineman
President | Midland Power Cooperative
Midland Power Cooperative, Jefferson
A grain farmer from Ogden, Paul was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2011 and has served as Board President since 2016. He has served on the board of directors of Midland Power since 1999. Throughout his tenure, Paul has earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) designation and Board Leadership Certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. And while it’s hard to predict the future, Paul feels CIPCO is well positioned to adapt to rapidly changing member needs.
Dan Westphal
Vice President | Farmers Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Farmers Electric Cooperative, Inc., Greenfield
Dan is a retired farmer from Bridgewater who has served as Vice President of the CIPCO Board of Directors since 2016. He has served on the board of directors of Farmers Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Greenfield) for 20 years and currently serves as its president. Dan says a highlight for him while serving on the CIPCO Board was conducting the welcome with Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives President Steve Seidl during a regional meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Dan has every confidence that CIPCO will respond positively to whatever may come in the future.
Gene Manternach
Secretary Treasurer | Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative
Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative, Anamosa
Gene is a retired farmer from Cascade where, since 1983, he has owned, and now leases, his more than 125-year-old family farm. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2005 and currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer. He was first elected to the Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative board in 1999 and served as the board secretary from 2014 to 2024. During his tenure with CIPCO, Gene earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director designation, the Board Leadership Certificate and the Director Gold credential from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He is interested in the advancement of affordable battery storage technology that would better utilize, enhance, and expand renewable energy resources.
Duane Ver Ploeg
Asst. Secretary Treasurer | Pella Cooperative Electric Assn.
Pella Cooperative Electric Association, Pella
On his farm just south of Pella, Duane raises corn, soybeans, hay and purebred Simmental cattle. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2015 and has served Pella Cooperative Electric Association since 1984, where he is currently board president. During this time, Duane earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director designation, Board Leadership Certificate and Director Gold credential from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Duane believes investments in renewable generation and cost-effective power options will ensure CIPCO’s success well into the future.
Steve Bireline
Director | Guthrie County REC
Guthrie County REC, Guthrie Center
Steve Bireline is a farmer and owner of Westline Fencing and MCS Ag Drainage. He is a retired Adair Fire Department volunteer and current president of the Adair Community Fire Board and has held many offices as a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. Steve has been a member of Guthrie Co. REC since 1980, serving on the board since 1997 and currently as its president. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2021. He has earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He lives in Adair with his wife, Tammy, and has four children and eight grandchildren.
Arden Greiner
Director | Consumers Energy
Consumers Energy, Marshalltown
For more than 40 years, Arden has operated his family farm near Colo. He was elected to the CIPCO Board in 2019 and has served on the Consumers Energy Board of Directors since 2007. During this time, Arden earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director designation, the Board Leadership Certificate and the Director Gold credential from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. On behalf of CIPCO, Arden is involved in reviewing and updating contracts to ensure the organization is prepared for any changes in the electric business in the future.
Kirk Hiland
Director | Linn County REC
Linn County REC, Marion
Kirk is retired as a former Real Estate Broker/Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and Adjunct Instructor at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. He was elected to the CIPCO Board in 2019, and has served Linn County REC since 2010. During this time, Kirk earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director designation and Board Leadership Certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He is actively engaged working in cooperation with CIPCO staff, other board members and member distribution cooperatives.
Gary Kester
Director | Eastern Iowa Light & Power
Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative, Wilton
Gary is a self-employed cattle and grain farmer from Burlington. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2018 and has served Eastern Iowa Light & Power since 2012. During this time, Gary earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director designation, the Board Leadership Certificate and Director Gold credential from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Gary says the electric business has changed so much in the last five years and he anticipates dramatic things to come in the next 30 years. With that in mind, CIPCO and its board will continue to evolve in order to overcome the challenges facing the organization and industry.
Tim Larsen
Director | SIMECA
South Iowa Municipal Electric Cooperative Association (SIMECA)
Elected in 2023, Tim represents SIMECA, a federation of 15 municipal electric utilities within CIPCO's service territory. As the general manager of Corning Municipal Utilities, Tim has served as the SIMECA treasurer since 2008. Tim also spent five years representing SIMECA for the CIPCO Member-Owners/CEO/Managers Group, and was actively engaged in wholesale power contract negotiations and electric rates subcommittees. He is a member of the Adams County Economic Development Corporation Board. Tim and wife Gwen have three daughters. He is very grateful for the opportunity to learn and understand the mounting challenges facing the generation and transmission industry as a representative of CIPCO.
Gary McKenna
Director | East-Central Iowa REC
East-Central Iowa REC, Urbana
Gary McKenna is currently the assistant manager of Eden Mutual Insurance in Vinton, where he has been employed since 1997. He retired as the owner of Van Eschen-Strong Insurance, but continues to raise 1,500 head of hog per year. He was elected to the CIPCO Board in 2021 and has served on the East-Central Iowa REC Board since 2016. He has earned his Director Gold certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Gary and his wife, Teresa, have two children. He enjoys golfing, snowmobiling, carpentry work, camping, and watching his kids play sports. Since 1991, he has been a member of the Vinton Fire Department, currently serving as fire chief, and is a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Vinton.
Randy Rouse
Director | Clarke Electric Cooperative
Clarke Electric Cooperative, Osceola
From Allerton, Randy is a self-employed corn and soybean production farmer. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2016, and has served Clarke Electric since 2012, currently as vice president. Randy says he continues to be impressed by the quality of people on the board and throughout the CIPCO organization and member system. He most admires how board members respect each other, even when there are split votes. He feels it is the board’s responsibility to look at every aspect of the business to assess the value and need for everything CIPCO does in order to ensure past successes continue into the future.
Craig Stallman
Director | T.I.P. REC
T.I.P. REC, Brooklyn
Craig is a Tooling Specialist for Whirlpool Corporation in Amana and resides in Williamsburg. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2019, and has served T.I.P. REC since 2017. Craig feels the future is very bright for CIPCO and working on the Wholesale Power Contract will give security and flexibility to CIPCO Member-owners. He believes acquiring the right mix of renewables and baseload energy resources will lead CIPCO well into the future.
Dale Walkup
Director | Southwest Iowa REC
Southwest Iowa REC, Corning
Dale is actively involved in operating a grain and cattle farm in rural Ringgold County, raising corn and soybeans for grain and a beef cow herd. He was elected to the CIPCO Board of Directors in 2002. He was first elected to the Rideta Electric Cooperative Board in 1979, taking office in January 1980. During his time, he has served as the secretary and vice president. In 2004, Rideta and Southwest Iowa Services Cooperative merged to form Southwest Iowa REC. In his role on the CIPCO Board, Dale helps guide the organization as a reliable and affordable power source for its Member-owners while also promoting economic opportunities for them.
CIPCO Leadership Team
Andrew St. John
Executive Vice President & CEO
Dan Burns
Vice President - Utility Operations
Kendra Graves
Vice President - Portfolio Strategy & Planning
Paul Hofman
Vice President - Information Technology
Memorea Schrader
Vice President - Human Resources
Kerry Koonce
Vice President - Communications & Corporate Relations
Dave Nicholson
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer