It’s time to vote for your Board of Directors

The following candidates are running for a seat on the Board of Directors in the Districts listed.

Online voting and candidate videos are available on our website www.trico.coop. Just log into your SmartHub account and select the “Vote Now” button from the top, right-hand corner. If you don’t have a SmartHub account, you can still vote on our website, or pick up a ballot at Trico.

In order to be counted, your online votes must be received by April 3, 2024 at 11 a.m. Another option is to vote in person at the Trico Annual Membership Meeting on April 6, 2024.

District 1 (Dove Mountain, Marana)

Jerry Rutherford

Jerry has served on the Trico Board of Directors for 15 months. He was a Senior Vice President for 20 years for a cooperative in Kansas that served over 40 children’s hospitals in the U.S. He has also been chair of the Financial Affairs Committee for The Highlands at Dove Mountain and has many years of board experience, including serving as a board member at a savings bank, children’s hospital and a landscaping company.

I have extensive experience in finance and strategic planning which are areas of importance in any organization, particularly in this increasingly challenging financial market.

The key challenges facing electric utilities include capital requirements for capacity to serve significant business expansion, a growing population and climate changes, while dealing with technology changes for responses to environmental concerns, particularly in the Southern Arizona climate.

Balancing responsible fiscal management with responsiveness to change will be critical challenges to meeting customer expectations and needs.

The best way to better serve Members is through strategic financial planning to anticipate and prepare for the future, while managing the current day-to-day business operations. Focus, authenticity, courage, empathy and timing are critical leadership qualities that are needed to meet current and future Member needs.

District 2 (Marana, Avra Valley)

David Proctor

David joined the Board in October 2023. He is the Vice President of BKW Farms, which has been a Trico Member for 73 years. As Vice President, I have maintained great relationships with multiple key Marana entities and am involved in the planning for multiple long-term projects in the Marana/Avra Valley area. BKW also supports Marana High School programs and multiple community events in and around Marana.

For decades, BKW has cultivated relationships with residents and business owners within the Marana/Avra service area, giving me great insight on how best to represent them as a director. I have worked with Trico on several occasions over the years and believe it’s a well-run organization with great people. I am committed to maintaining the great service and rates Trico Members have become accustomed to.

I believe some of the challenges going into the future will be the demand on the current, aging infrastructure. With a growing population and more electric vehicles, I believe the demand will grow significantly over a short period of time. Another challenge will likely be maintaining affordable rates for customers as inflation continues to drive the cost of material goods up.

District 5 (Three Points, Altar Valley, Arivaca, Sasabe, Green Valley)

Joe King

Joe has served on the Trico Board for three years and is the current Treasurer. I have learned a lot in my first term as director. Trico directorship has been a great opportunity to watch how our Cooperative works and governs its operations. I am excited to continue serving our Members. Our family ranch has been in this valley since 1895 and we have been happy Trico Members since power arrived in the Altar Valley in the 1950s. Living in rural Pima County, I understand living remote from major services but we definitely appreciate the reliability the team at Trico ensures to membership.

I live and work full-time on our family’s cattle ranch and as such, I sit on a few various farm and ranch industry groups in Southern Arizona. I am currently Vice President of Pima County Farm Bureau. I am past President of Southern Arizona Cattlemen’s Protective Association.

Running our ranch, I have seen the rise in costs of production over the years and have had to manage costs of inputs. Another issue I deal with is finding and keeping good employees. It’s a balance that has always existed and it doesn’t seem to get easier.

Electric vehicles are a complicated topic. Discussions of where to build infrastructure, how much, and does Trico take on the servicing of charging stations and what requirements are future housing developments going to need if regulated to have charging capabilities.

Long term power generating is a very big issue. As coal plants get older or close, what sources can Trico go after and not be subject to outrageous demand charges when demand is high, and supply is low?

Trico does much to participate in the many communities to which it serves power. As a director of a more rural district, I appreciate Trico’s service to rural communities.