A young girl smiles for the camera as her family members review director candidates and vote for the leadership of the cooperative.

Annual Meeting Recap

On June 2, Noble REMC members elected two new directors to lead our cooperative — George Bennett in District 6 and Mark Demske in District 7 — during the Noble REMC Annual Meeting and Picnic. Members also voted to re-elect Andrew Strack, who ran unopposed, to represent District 3.

Bennett and Demske will be taking the seats of former directors Steve Kirkpatrick and Bob Marshall, respectively. Both recently decided to hand over the reins to the next generation of leaders. Kirkpatrick leaves with 15 years of experience on the board, while Marshall served nearly four decades, with 14 years as chairman.

Families were able to enjoy lunch together, whether it was a pork burger or hot dogs and chips. However, ice cream sandwiches were the real treat.

While children played in bounce houses and adults grabbed a pork burger before taking their seats under the big tent, Chairman Marshall opened the business meeting. He shared information on the financial stability of the co-op before introducing Noble REMC CEO Ron Raypole.

In his address, Raypole emphasized the cooperative’s commitment to community, reminding our members that the REMC belongs to the community it serves and is led by you.

This means looking toward the future when it comes to renewable energy, such as solar, wind and landfill gas, as well as contributing to the quality of life of nearly 10,000 members the cooperative serves through our grant programs and active participation in local boards.

Energy Advisor Brian Hawk speaks to a member about energy efficiency options through the cooperative’s programs.

“As we look toward the future, you can be confident that Noble REMC will commit to explore new ways to help our members and community. We will continue to investigate our role in broadband, support local and regional economic development efforts and provide energy efficiency resources to our members,” Raypole said. “We pledge to maintain high expectations for the service we provide, with integrity, honesty and fairness to everyone.”

This unicorn-loving girl gets her face painted by one of the talented clowns at the meeting.

In the end, the cooperative’s priority will always be to provide safe, affordable and reliable electricity to our members, many of whom are neighbors, friends and family, Raypole explained.

With about 2,500 in attendance at the picnic, members had the opportunity to view a wide range of displays from the REMC, as well as community organizations, and enjoyed musical entertainment from Smooth Edge 2.

Meet your new directors

George Bennett

George Bennett
Represents: District 6, which includes Jefferson and Albion townships in Noble County
Occupation: Senior vice president and Albion branch manager for Campbell & Fetter Bank
Local participation: Albion Rotary Club, Noble County Council, Noble County Board of Zoning Appeals, Noble County Plan Commission and Parkview Noble Hospital Board of Directors
Why he decided to run: “I’ve had such a positive impression of the REMC as a consumer-member. I’ve always been proud of what the REMC has done,” he said. “My priority focuses, as I’m sure the rest of the directors have, are to do our part in overseeing and contributing to the REMC and see that it’s run in a sound manner.”

Mark Demske

Mark Demske
Represents: District 7, which includes Allen and Swan townships in Noble County
Occupation: Owner and president of Twin Orange Inc., doing business as Biggby Coffee
Local participation: Community State Bank Board of Directors, Noble County Economic Development Corporation, Community Foundation of Noble County Board of Directors, Sons of the American Legion and Knights of Columbus
Why he decided to run: “I liked the progressiveness and forward thinking” of the REMC in being a major piece in the creation of the Noble County Economic Development Corporation, an organization he’s actively involved in. “I want to bring the knowledge of being a small business owner to the board at the REMC.”