Board of Directors
Great Lakes Energy (GLE) is an electric cooperative of 129,000 meters serving 26 counties in lower, western Michigan. A co-op is a democratic organization controlled by a board of directors. The board is made up of nine members who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. The elected representatives are accountable to the membership.
Directors are elected by the membership to three-year terms according to district. GLE members in three districts designated each year will elect one candidate from within their district to fill a position on the board. Each member of GLE has one vote (one membership, one vote) in their district election.
Director Candidate Questionnaire
Thank you for your interest in the vacancy in district 4 (Crawford, Oscoda, Otsego, and Montmorency counties) on the Great Lakes Energy board. The window for submitting applications is now closed. A board committee will now review submissions, conduct interviews, and make a decision in mid-December.
General Information
for Candidates
In accordance with the co-op’s bylaws, a member must meet these qualifications:
Each director shall, at all times, be a member in good standing of the Cooperative and maintain his/her primary residence in the Cooperative’s service area, shall have the legal capacity to enter into a contract, and may not be in any way employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise or a business selling electric energy or supplies to the Cooperative, or of a business primarily engaged in selling electrical appliances, fixtures or supplies to the members of the Cooperative, nor shall they be an employee of the Cooperative. No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director while an employee of the Cooperative, or a wholly owned affiliate of the Cooperative. Except for those specific situations existing on the date these Bylaws are adopted, no person shall be eligible to be a candidate or shall hold office as a director who has a close relative who is an employee of the Cooperative or a wholly owned affiliate of the Cooperative. No Director shall be employed by the Cooperative, or a wholly owned affiliate of the Cooperative, within one (1) year of the expiration or termination of such Director’s term.
Board members are elected by district during an election held each July/August. Board members are elected from members who live in their district but represent the entire membership.
District No. 1: Emmet County (2024)
District No. 2: Charlevoix and Cheboygan counties (2024)
District No. 3: Antrim County (2026)
District No. 4: Otsego, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Crawford counties (2026)
District No. 5: Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford counties (2026)
District No. 6: Mason and Lake counties (2025)
District No. 7: Oceana and Muskegon counties (2024)
District No. 8: Osceola, Clare, Newaygo, and Mecosta counties (2025)
District No. 9: Ottawa, Kent, Montcalm, Allegan, and Barry counties (2025)
The Great Lakes Energy Board of Directors meets for a regular board meeting 10-12 times per year for a period of several hours during daytime business hours. Meetings are held on the Wednesday preceding the fourth Thursday of the month in Boyne City with occasional travel to other locations up to four hours away from Boyne City, but this is subject to change. Some meetings may also be conducted virtually. A per diem and mileage are paid to directors for each meeting. From time-to-time a special board meeting or committee meeting may also be necessary for business purposes, held during daytime business hours.
Directors are encouraged to attend in-state and out-of-state training and conferences as soon as their schedule allows after becoming a director. The National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association (NRECA) offers courses in order to become a Cooperative Credentialed Director (CCD). Once CCD status is reached, directors are encouraged to continue their education by attending NRECA courses required for their Board Leadership (BL) certificate. Courses are offered several times a year in conjunction with other conferences and meetings. Directors are compensated for travel-related expenses and receive a travel per diem for their attendance.
There are also several informational meetings/conferences offered by industry organizations and our power supplier that directors are encouraged to attend. These meetings and conferences help directors stay apprised of current energy-related legislation, events affecting the utility industry, network with other cooperative directors, etc.
Directors must follow cooperative bylaws and policies.
Directors should be a positive representative of Great Lakes Energy. Director contact information appears monthly in Michigan Country Lines magazine and members may contact you by phone or email with questions or comments. You may also receive mail correspondence, which should be passed along to our communications staff for response.
Please contact 888-GT-LAKES (485-2537), ext. 1387 or [email protected] with additional questions.
