Board of Trustees

A Cooperative is democracy in action. The member/owners run the cooperative through their elected representatives on the Board of Trustees. Flathead Electric includes nine districts, each with a representative on the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the cooperative. State and federal law, the articles of incorporation or conversion, and the bylaws of the cooperative govern the actions of the board.

Full Size District Map

Click on District # below to see individual district map in a new browser window.

District # 1 Columbia Falls to Essex Chris H. Byrd
Term end 2010
387-5621
 
District # 2 Lower Valley Emery Smith
Term end 2012
752-8444
 
District # 3 Whitefish, Big Mountain, Olney Jay Downen
Term end 2012
862-9009
 
District # 4 Helena Flats, Columbia Falls Stage Doug Grob
Term end 2010
257-6200
 
District # 5 Kalispell, North of Highway 2 Alan Ruby
Term end 2012
755-1093
 
District # 6 West Valley, Marion Duane Braaten
Term end 2011
755-5326
 
District # 7 Kalispell, South of Highway 2 George R. Taylor
Term end 2010
257-3900
 
District # 8 Bigfork, Rollins Paul Holland
Term end 2011
837-5583
 
District # 9 Libby Earl M. Messick
Term end 2011
(406) 293-5625
 

Flathead Electric is governed by a nine member Board of Trustees elected
by the membership to represent the various districts in which they live.
Emery Smith
Emery Smith

Has lived in the Flathead Valley since 1977 and owner of Computer Connections a full-service computer business that he founded in 1986. Previously a project engineer and purchasing manager at Columbia Falls Aluminum and owned a chain of video stores. Smith attended colleges in California and holds two engineering degrees.

Jay Downen
Jay Downen

Is the owner of Last Mile Technologies, which helps set up cooperative organizations around the country. He has worked with electrical cooperatives for 25 years including 15 years with the Montana Electrical Cooperatives' Association in the 1980's and 1990's.

Alan Ruby
Alan Ruby

Is the owner of Alan's Wall Coverings in Kalispell. He has lived in the Flathead Valley for over 23 years and currently serves as Vice President of the Glacier National History Association and as a board member of Don't Gamble with the future.

Duane Braaten
Duane Braaten
Secretary/Treasurer

As owner and operator of Farm-To-Market Pork, Duane has 32 years of agriculture and retail business experience. He and his wife, Janette, have raised 4 children. Duane has served on numerous boards, including the Montana Board of Livestock, the West Valley School Board and the Rates Review Committee for FEC in 2006.

Doug Grob
Doug Grob

 Is a third-generation Flathead Valley resident and FEC Trustee since 2002.  He graduated from Flathead High School and the University of Montana, was a high school teacher in Australia, and currently is a semi-retired home builder. Doug’s focus has been on power supply issues and he feels the opportunity to understand the Bonneville system has been a special privilege.

Paul Holland
Paul Holland

Is a self-employed plumbing and heating contractor dba Bigfork Plumbing and Heating. He formerly served on the board of Copper Valley Electric Cooperative in Glennallen, Alaska, where he owned a plumbing and heating contracting business and two guest lodges in South-central Alaska.

Chris Byrd
Chris Byrd
Vice President

A lifelong resident of the Flathead.  Has served on the Flathead Electric Board since 1998.  Chris has also served on many boards.  He is currently president of the Glacier Park International Airport Authority Board, on which he has served for 24 years.  He and his wife, Maureen, have three married children and own Montana Liquor & Wine in Kalispell.

Earl Messick
Earl Messick

Retired after 30 years with GTE in Libby. He grew up in Maryland and came to Northwest Montana in 1956, serving at a U.S. Air Force radar site in the Yaak.

George Taylor
George R. Taylor
President

Is a native of Montana, and retired back here after a career as an engineer for Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. He was a trial and civil practice lawyer and partner in a law firm for 18 years, and then served on the Superior Court bench for ten years.

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Updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2010