Loren Haines new association president
The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, the statewide service organization for Missouri’s electric cooperatives, has a new president. He is Loren Haines, CEO of North Central Missouri Electric Cooperative based in Milan.
Loren replaces Ozark Border Electric Cooperative director Darrell Atchison, Williamsville, who completed his term as president following the 2023 AMEC Annual Meeting.
The new president has been manager of North Central Missouri Electric since 2016. He joined the cooperative’s staff in 1999, when he began his cooperative career as a member services representative. He then served as staff assistant from 2006-2013 and was the cooperative’s assistant manager from 2013 until being named manager.
He served on the Load Management Committee for the association, helping to hold down rates by reducing peak demand for the state’s electric cooperatives. He also serves on the board of directors for N.W. Electric Power Cooperative, Cameron.
Joining Loren as officers for two-year terms are Vice President Kim Ponder, a director for Boone Electric Co-op, and Secretary-Treasurer Mike Scheib, CEO of Tri-County Electric Co-op, Lancaster.
Kim is a lifelong resident of Boone County. A graduate of Southern Boone High School, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College. She is the executive vice president and central Missouri retail leader for First State Community Bank. Kim was elected to Boone Electric’s board of directors in July 2013 and is its president. She is a graduate of the Rural Electric Director Program, earning Credential Cooperative Director, Board Leadership and Director Gold certificates.
Mike is the CEO of Tri-County Electric Cooperative. He came to Tri-County Electric in 2009 from Trenton’s Municipal Utilities, where he was a journeyman lineman. Mike’s first role at Tri-County was line superintendent, then operations manager. In October 2020, he was named CEO.
During his time at Tri-County Electric, he has worked to improve housing in the co-op’s service area located north of Kirksville. He recently was part of a panel called “Housing Solutions for Success” hosted by the National Rural Economic Developers Association.
Kim Ponder
Mike Scheib