Board of Directors

Corn Belt Energy is guided by 14 directors, who are themselves residential members of the cooperative and elected to serve three-year terms.  Each director represents a specific District within Corn Belt's service territory.  

To ensure proportional representation based on area and population, the directors are appropriated as follows:

District 1: Six directors representing Champaign, Ford and McLean counties

District 2: One director representing Logan and Tazewell counties

District 3: One director representing Livingston and Woodford counties

District 4: One director representing De Witt County

District 5: One director representing Macon and Piatt counties

District 6: One director representing the townships of Copley, Knox, Lynn, Persifer, Sparta, Truro, Victoria and Walnut Grove in Knox County and the townships of Andover, Cambridge, Clover, Galva, Munson and Weller in Henry County

District 7: One director representing the townships of Alba, Annawan, Burns, Cornwall, Kewanee, Wethersfield and Yorktown in Henry County; the townships of Elmira, Goshen, and Osceola in Stark County; and the townships of Arispie, Bureau, Concord, Fairfleld, Greenville, Gold,  Indian Town, Macon, Manlius, Milo, Mineral, Neponset, Walnut, Wheatland and Wyanet in Bureau County

District 8: One director representing the townships of Berlin, Clarion, Dover, Hall, Leepertown, Princeton, Selby and Westerfield in Bureau County; the townships of Hennepin, Granville and Magnolia in Putnam County; the township of Roberts in Marshall County; and the townships of Deer Park, Dimmick, Mendota, Peru, Troy Grove, Utica and Waltham in LaSalle County

District 9: One director representing the townships of Adams, Dayton, Earl, Fall River, Farm Ridge, Freedom, Grand Rapids, Ophir, Meriden, Miller, Mission, Northville, Ottawa, Rutland, Serena, South Ottawa, and Wallace in LaSalle County; and the township of Big Grove in Kendall County

Please refer to our bylaws for additional information on director qualifications and eligibility.

Meet Your Directors

James E. Adams - District 1

James Adams and his wife Laura reside in Bloomington. They have three children, daughter Layne (18), son Jackson James (9) and daughter Jaycee June (6). He currently manages a financial planning and services practice as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. After high school James enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving five years before moving to Illinois to pursue his educational goals. Once here, he worked his way through college and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1997. James wants to serve on the Corn Belt board “to help give back to my community in hopes of helping make a difference, and to learn more about the energy industry."

Robert Angus - District 9

Robert and his wife Betty Jane, parents of two sons and grandparents to three boys, reside in Ottawa.  Rob operates a 250-acre grain farm south of Ottawa and delivers ag chemicals for a local wholesale chemical company.  The Angus family has lived on Corn Belt Energy lines for 39 years.  Rob was first elected to the Illinois Valley Electric Cooperative board in 1993 and currently serves on Corn Belt's Finance Committee.  Rob is the Corn Belt Director of the Wabash Valley Power Association at Indianapolis, Indiana, where he serves as chairman of the WVPA Board. He also serves as chairman of the Risk Oversight committee and as the WVPA board representative to the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives.  Rob is a Credentialed Co-op Director and received the Board Leadership Certificate from NRECA in the fall of 2008.  Rob looks forward to continuing to serve Corn Belt members by maintaining reasonable rates and high quality service.

Gary Archey - District 4

Gary and his wife Sandra reside in Clinton, parents of two grown children and grandparents of three.  Gary was employed for 31 years by Clinton CUSD 15, serving his last 23 years as superintendent and retiring in 1999.  Since then, he worked four years as a part-time educational consultant for DeWitt, Livingston and McLean Regional Office of Education. He is currently a part-time educational consultant for the Consulting and Resource Group of Monticello.  Gary has served on numerous community boards during his 40 years in Clinton.  He has taken several NRECA training courses and completed his Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) Certificate in March.  He hopes the knowledge and insights gained during his first two terms will enable him to be an effective director and make a contribution to the cooperative’s future growth and stability.

Dennis Fredrickson - District 6

Dennis and his wife Linda live in Victoria.  They have two grown children and one granddaughter.  He graduated from Carl Sandburg College and attended Western Illinois University.  He farms 800 acres and is a seed dealer for Asgrow and DeKalb. Dennis and Linda are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Galesburg.  Dennis is a member of Illinois Corn Growers, Illinois Soybean Association, and Knox County Farm Bureau and serves as a director on the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in Springfield.  He originally served on the Illinois Valley Electric Cooperative (IVEC) board from 1995 until the merger in 1999 before beginning his service on the Corn Belt Board in 1999.

Albert Hagenbuch - District 8

Residents of Utica, Albert and his wife Eileen have three grown children.  A Technical Ag graduate of Wisconsin State University, Albert began farming in 1971.  Albert farms 1,300 acres of corn and soybeans in partnership with his son and his brother.  He is a member of the Waltham Presbyterian Church, LaSalle County Farm Bureau, and the Illinois Soybean Association.  He served on the Illinois Valley Electric Cooperative (IVEC) board from 1979 to 1985, serving as president from 1982 to 1985.  He served again on the IVEC board from 1995 until the merger in 1999, and on the Corn Belt Energy board from 1999 to present.

Michael Killian - District 1

Mike and his wife Sandy live in Lexington and have four grown children and eight grandchildren.  Mike is a grain farmer and has served on the Corn Belt Energy Board since 1989.  Mike is currently a Farm Bureau member and serves as director of the Lexington FFA Alumni Association.

Laverne Malone - District 5

Laverne resides in Maroa and has one daughter and two grandchildren.  Laverne graduated from ISU with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in biology and agriculture and also has 34 hours of advanced study in agronomy and biological science.  Laverne is the retired executive vice president and CFO of ASI Risk Management and Agriserve Crop Insurance, which he co-founded in 1982.  He taught school for 8 years and farmed for 24.  Laverne has also worked as a crop-adjustor and as a school board member.  He has served as a Maroa-Forsyth Community Bank Board for 30 years.  He has been a member of Corn Belt Energy for 29 years and has served on the board since the spring of 1998.  Describing his board experience as challenging and interesting, Laverne feels the importance of representing the area for the cooperative.

Charles Meisenheimer - District 7

Parents of three and grandparents of four, Charles and his wife Shirley live in Walnut.  He retired from farming at the end of the 2008 harvest and works as the office manager of Allen Pork Farms, Inc.  He has served on the boards of directors of a grade school and a high school and is an active member of the Bureau Township Community Church.  He was elected to the IVEC board in July 1996; serving as vice president at the time of the merger with Corn Belt.  He is the chairman of the Clear Talk board and presently serves as vice chairman of Corn Belt. Charles has earned his Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate and his Board Leadership Certificate.  When asked why he serves, Charles responded, “I realize the importance of electricity in our lives and the sacrifice of the many who went before me making it possible to have the quality of life electricity provides. I want to do my part to ensure the continuation of quality service and dependable energy at the most reasonable rates possible.”

Rae F. Payne - District 1

Rae and his wife Jean reside in Bloomington.  Employed by Illinois Farm Bureau as senior director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, Rae graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in finance and business sdministration.  He has served on the Corn Belt Board of Directors since 1986 and has been chairman of the board since 1988.  He has completed the Certificate for Credentialed Cooperative Director Program as well as additional courses administered by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.  Rae has also served on the board of directors of 1st Farm Credit Services and on several other business and statewide government boards and commissions.

Janice Reimer - District 1

A member since 1960, Jan lives in Carlock.  Jan and her now-deceased husband were farmers for 48 ½ years and she continues to manage her farm of corn and soybeans with her son-in-law farming the land.  She has four grown daughters and four delightful grandchildren.  She is a retired administrative assistant at Chiddix Junior High and continues to substitute in the Unit 5 District.  Jan is very active at Carlock Mennonite Church and serves as recording secretary for the McLean CountySheriff’s Merit Commission. She is assistant secretary/treasurer for Corn Belt and serves on the Finance Committee.  Jan has completed her Board Leadership Certificate and her Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate.  She has seen many changes in the co-op since coming on the board. Jan’s goal is to continue to represent and serve members with reasonable rates combined with reliable service ain addition to returning capital credits in a timely fashion.

Stephen Schertz - District 3

Steve, and his wife, Diane, live north of El Paso, where they've been members of Corn Belt Energy for 35 years.  Steve has served as a Director since 1983 and has served on the Association of Illinois Electrical Cooperatives board and is a Credentialed Cooperative Director.  A University of Illinois graduate in engineering, Steve farms with his son.  Steve has served on the El Paso school board, the Pioneer Farm Business Farm Management board, and is a member of the El Paso Kiwanis.  Steve and Diane are active members of Eastview Christian Church.  Steve will work to keep the cooperative strong, with dependable service and reasonable rates during this time of increasing energy costs.

Jerry Starkey - District 1

Jerry and his wife Becky live in in Le Roy, the parents of two and grandparents to six.  Jerry served 24 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a Lt. Colonel.  Jerry received his Bachelor of Science in agriculture from the University of Illinois, a Masters in business administration from the University of North Dakota, and a Masters of Science in safety from Central Missouri University.  He is a member and former president of the McLean County Elected Officials, and currently serves as the Empire Township Clerk.  He completed the Certificate for Credentialed Cooperative Director Program and the Director’s Board Leadership Certificate Program in 2006. Both of these programs are administered by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.  Jerry has served on the Corn Belt Board and the Finance Committee since 2004.

Ralph Steiger - District 2

Ralph and his wife Evelyn reside in Delavan.  He is a retired corn and soybean farmer after 45 years and continues to help his son farm.  Ralph and Evelyn have two children and three grandchildren.  A Corn Belt member since 1957, Ralph has served on the Board of Directors since 1986 and has held positions with the AIEC board, the ACRE board, the AIEC Scholarship Committee, and the Clear Talk board.  In addition, he serves on the local Township Board and is a former Trustee of his church, Boynton Mennonite Church of Hopedale.  The proud parents of two and grandparents of three, Ralph and Evelyn are living in the house where he was born.

Bob Whitwood, Jr. - District 1

Bob and his wife Lois live in rural Hudson where they've been Corn Belt members for 49 years. They have two grown children and five grandchildren. Bob is retired from Whitwood Construction Inc. but has been instrumental in the development of Prairieview Subdivision in Hudson.  At present, Bob is a board member of the Hudson Township serving as a trustee. He is a charter member of McLean County Pheasants Forever and served as president for two years and is currently co-chairman of the habitat committee.  Bob is completing his second full term on the Corn Belt Board where he is serving on the committee for Membership and Employee Relations.  He has completed his Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate and is currently working on the Board Leadership Certificate.  Bob will continue to further his education and contribute to the goals of the cooperative of maintaining low cost service, growth, leadership and integrity.