Annual Meeting
Runestone Electric Association holds an Annual Meeting each spring to update members on how their co-op is doing financially and operationally, to elect directors, and to transact business. It is an opportunity for members to learn more about their co-op, ask questions, and get educated on programs offered by Runestone Electric Association. Members are notified each year by mail and in the newsletter when and where the Annual Meeting will take place.
2026 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
4-5 PM: Registration
5 PM: Meeting Begins
Alexandria Area High School
4300 Pioneer Rd SE
Alexandria, MN 56308
Notice of Annual Meeting to Members
The Annual Meeting of the members of the Association will be held pursuant to Article II, Section 1 of the Bylaws of the Association in the Performing Arts Center of Alexandria Area High School in Alexandria, Minnesota, at 5:00 p.m., on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, to take action on the following matters:
1. The election of three (3) directors to serve for terms of three (3) years representing Districts Three, Six and Seven.
2. Passing upon reports of officers and directors covering the previous fiscal year.
3. The transaction of any and all other business as may properly come before the meeting.
ELECTION BY ACCLAMATION: The director elections in Districts Three, Six and Seven were uncontested, therefore no ballots will be mailed. Candidates will be elected by acclamation at the Annual Meeting.
MEETING REGISTRATION: The enclosed card in the packet is your meeting registration card. Be sure to bring the card to the meeting with you to avoid delays in registration.
Date: March 30, 2026 David Staples, Secretary
Attend the Annual Meeting and received $25 gift certificate!
Gift Certificates are redeemable only at these participating REA member businesses:
Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center
2100 Arrowwood Ln NW, Alexandria
320-762-1124
Beau Coffee Company
Starbuck
Local Pick up/Drop off
320-239-2078
Blairview Saddle Shop
6320 MN-29, Alexandria
320-762-5664
Brother’s Market: Carlos
8170 MN-29, Carlos
320-852-7331
Brother’s Market: Miltona
4350 Co Rd 14 NE, Miltona
218-943-3333
Burr Vineyards
10522 Co Rd 58 NW, Brandon
651-726-4397
Carlos Creek
6693 Co Rd 34 NW, Alexandria
320-846-5443
Chet’s Lakeside Inn
15681 Co Rd 102 NE, Parkers Prairie
218-943-2471
Country Blossom Farm
5769 Magnuson Rd SW, Alexandria
320-334-1620
Doraisamy Farm
1090 Co Rd 7 NW, Garfield
320-524-2513
Jim & Judy’s
12321 St Hwy 29 N, Alexandria
320-852-7604
Kadejan Market
11535 Hwy 29, Alexandria
320-460-8710
Lake Miltona Golf Club
3868 Co Rd 5 NE, Alexandria
320-852-7078
Lake Reno Bar & Grill
14566 MN-29, Glenwood
320-283-5030
L’Etoile du Nord Vineyard
16451 NW Irene Ct NE, Parkers Prairie
320-298-4686
Long Lake Lodge
16021 Long Lake Rd NW, Brandon
320-808-3426
Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant: Jan Jablonski
320-815-7894
Miltona Greenhouses
19960 Noble Lane, Parkers Prairie
218-943-3601
Rolling Forks Vineyards
21505 Selnes Rd, Glenwood
320-634-7655
Selective TV
2308 S Broadway, #2, Alexandria
320-763-5924
Stivland Gardens
30085 110th St, Lowry
320-283-5227
Taylor’s Market
10872 360th Ave, Kensington
320-805-0405
Tipsinah Mounds Golf Course
15185 Golf Course Rd, Elbow Lake
218-685-4271
Adgenda
- Call to order – President Anderson
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Moment of Reflection
- Determination of a Quorum
- Proof of Mailing of Notice of Meeting
- President to Appoint Attorney as Parliamentarian
- Approve Agenda
- Introduction of Special Guests, Directors, CEO, Attorney and Director Candidates
- Approve Minutes of 2025 Annual Meeting
- Financial Report – CEO Haman
- President’s Report – President Anderson
- Report from the CEO – CEO Haman
- Presentation of Scholarships – President Anderson
- Unfinished Business – President Anderson
- New Business – President Anderson
- Question and Answer Period
- Acclamation District 3, 6 & 7 Vote – REA Attorney Marc Sugden
- Meeting Adjourned
Director Candidates
Director elections will be held in Districts Three, Six, and Seven. All director elections were uncontested, no ballots will be mailed. Candidates will be elected by acclamation at the Annual Meeting.
District 3 Candidate: Jon Winter
District 3
Jon Winter
Incumbent
Jon Winter was nominated for the board at the District 3 meeting. He was elected in 2025 to fill the remainder of the open term in District 3. Jon and his wife Tanya raised four kids and several foster children on a farm between Barrett and Hoffman and now are empty nesters. They have been members of REA for over 25 years.
Jon attended college at NDSU and earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. He also earned a degree in Lamb and Wool Management from Minnesota West Community and Technical College. He owns and operates a grain farm and sheep herd.
Jon served on the Hoffman Co-op Grain board for 16 years. At that point it merged and is currently Pro-Ag Farmers Cooperative. Jon serves on the board as vice president. He served on the Messiah Lutheran Church Council as President and several other committees.
Jon has now completed one year on the REA board. He has attended several training sessions and has gained valuable knowledge throughout the year.
District 3 Townships: Aastad, Darnen, Delaware, Donnelly, Eagle Lake, Elbow Lake, Elk Lake, Erdahl, Evansville, Framnas, Gorton, Hodges, Land, Lien, Logan, Lund, Macsville, Pelican Lake, Pomme De Terre, Rendsville, Roseville, Sanford, Stoney Brook, St. Olaf, Swan Lake, and Tumili Townships in Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, and Stevens County.
District 6 Candidate: Joel Seela
District 6
Joel Seela
Incumbent
Incumbent director Joel Seela was nominated at the District 6 meeting. Joel and his wife, Donna, live near Nelson in Osakis Township.
Elected to the REA Board in 2023, Joel has completed the necessary training to become a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Credentialed Cooperative Director.
Joel has been involved with design, construction, and managing work for industrial and commercial facilities for over 30 years. Included in this work is 10 years in the electrical generating industry at various locations on nuclear, fossil, gas, wind, and renewable generation. Experience includes capital and long-term planning on a utility scale, rebate qualification, and permitting. Professional certifications include PMP Project Management Institute, CPC American Institute of Constructors, second class engineer State of Minnesota, and a graduate of Leadership Alexandria.
Some of his volunteer work includes City of Alexandria Airport commission and Officer EAA chapter 702 – 5013c in Alexandria.
District 6 Townships: Alexandria, Belle River, Gordon, Leslie, Osakis, and Reynolds Townships in Douglas and Todd County.
District 7 Candidate: Matthew Mattson
District 7
Matthew Mattson
Incumbent
Incumbent director Matthew Mattson was nominated at the District 7 meeting. An REA member since 1998, Matthew and his wife, Kerri, live outside of Kensington.
Matthew has served on the REA board since 2020 and currently serves as board treasurer. He has completed the necessary training to become a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Credentialed Cooperative Director.
Matthew and Kerri farm with his father, Rodger, and their son, Austin, on a cattle and grain farm near Kensington. Recently, Matthew and Kerri partnered with their son, Zach, and his wife, Jenna, to open Taylor’s Market, an on-farm store supplying meat and other products to consumers. In his spare time, Matthew enjoys spending time with his kids and grandkids.
Matthew currently serves as a director for the Pope Co. Ag Society, is a member of the Pope County Farm Bureau, and is involved at Alexandria Covenant Church in men’s Bible study and a leader at Classes and Community. He has completed a term on the REA Member Advisory Council.
District 7 Townships: Ashley, Barsness, Ben Wade, Blue Mounds, Chippewa Falls, Glenwood, Grove Lake, Leven, Minnewaska, New Prairie, Nora, Orange, Reno, Walden, Westport, and White Bear Lake in Douglas, Pope and Stearns County.
2025 Annual Meeting Recap
Runestone Electric Association held its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 23, at the Alexandria Area High School Performing Arts Center. Board of Director seats were determined in Districts 1, 3 and 4, and scholarships were awarded to 19 students.
Runestone Electric’s bylaws allow for uncontested director elections to be elected by acclamation. In District 1, Gary (Andy) Anderson, Parkers Prairie, ran unopposed and was reelected, and in District 4, Dave Staples, Kensington, ran unopposed and was reelected.
In the District 3 Director election, Jon Winter, Hoffman, was elected to the Board with 215 votes. Glenn Hjelle, Elbow Lake, received 68 votes and Lori Sommers, Barrett, received 39 votes. Winter will serve a one-year term to complete the open term and Anderson and Staples will serve three-year terms.
Board President Gary (Andy) Anderson and CEO Al Haman reported on the cooperative’s activities and financial condition during the business meeting. “2025 is a big year for REA as we celebrate our 90th Anniversary! It all began with a meeting in August of 1935 for folks interested in organizing a cooperative power line company,” recalled President Anderson. He highlighted some of the early pioneers and challenges of bringing power to the rural areas, the passing of former REA Director Audrey Hjelle, the Member Tour held in October, Operation Round Up, and the REA employee group.
“At year-end, the cooperative’s total assets were $108 million. That includes plant assets like the office and warehouse, lines, poles, and transformers. All our ratios exceed lending requirements. The cooperative finished 2024 with 152 new services built,” said CEO Haman. Where and how power is delivered to REA members, potential impacts of tariffs, the future of nuclear energy in Minnesota, and local power reliability were also discussed in the CEO Report.
Nineteen students whose parents or guardians are REA members received $1,000 scholarships funded through unclaimed capital credits. Randomly drawn from each of the seven REA districts, winners include:
- Weston Olson, parent Garth Olson of Miltona
- Paislee Dummer, parents Erik & Carrie Dummer of Alexandria
- Pearse Byrne, parents John Byrne & Kelly Jahner-Byrne of Woodbury
- Brooklyn Taylor, parents James & Natasha Taylor of Alexandria
- Sadie Koehler, parents Rodney & Kelly Koehler of Morris
- Evan Rollofson, parents Chad & Gwen Rollofson of Barrett
- Justin Miller, parents Jason & Julie Miller of Herman
- Alex Aldis, parents James & Carmen Aldis of Alexandria
- Addison Staples, parents Dave & Amy Staples of Kensington
- Natalie Meichsner, parents Bryan & Lisa Meichsner of Brandon
- Tyler Spaeth, parents Jeremy & Carla Spaeth of Alexandria
- Zachary Anderson, parents Randy & Nicole Anderson of Alexandria
- Mason Gorghuber, parents Eric & Bonita Gorghuber of Garfield
- Jaxson Bakeberg, parents Kyle & Tina Bakeberg of Nelson
- Grace Reinke, parents Keith & Angela Reinke of Osakis
- Taven Ebnet, parents Christoper & Lindsey Ebnet of Nelson
- Luke Hoffmann, parents Franklyn & Mindy Hoffmann of Glenwood
- Ellie Douvier, parents Tony & Mandy Douvier of Glenwood
- Levi Schultz, parents Nathan & Melissa Schultz of Lowry
Immediately following the adjournment of the meeting, the Board of Directors held a Reorganization Meeting to elect officers. Elected were Gary (Andy) Anderson (District 1), President; Mike Loken (District 5), Vice President; Matthew Mattson (District 7), Treasurer; and Dave Staples (District 4), Secretary. Other directors include Barbara Johnson (District 2), Jon Winter (District 3), and Joel Seela (District 6).