District 3 (incumbent)
Danny Easterday is the director for District 3. He is a lifelong resident of Orange County and has served as REMC director of District 3 for the past 27 years. He’s completed the required courses to earn the Credentialed Cooperative Director Certification. Easterday is a graduate of Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.
Easterday and his wife, Lisa, reside near Orleans. They have five children and five grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his wife. His favorite hobby is fishing. He enjoys fishing in his pond in Indiana and in the Gulf of Mexico near Venice, Florida.
District 6 (Incumbent)
Brian Hawkins is the incumbent director for District 6. Hawkins has served on the board since 2003, during which time he has served as secretary, vice president and president.
He is a graduate of Paoli Junior-Senior High School and has owned and operated Wolfe Contracting Inc. in Paoli for the past 22 years. Hawkins and his wife of 40 years, Nanette, have lived in the Paoli and Greenfield community for the past 35 years. They have one daughter, Megan, who teaches family and consumer science at Silver Creek High School in Sellersburg.
Born and raised in Orange County, Hawkins realizes he has an obligation to the members within District 6 and all Orange County REMC members to make sound business decisions that will not adversely affect the members nor the REMC.
In 2007, just four years after he was elected to the REMC board, he completed the required courses to earn the Credentialed Cooperative Director Certification. The curriculum consists of five courses designed to provide the basic knowledge and skills required of cooperative directors.
He strives to keep electric rates as affordable as possible and outages to a minimum. Hawkins is open to technology that will benefit the day-to-day operations of Orange County REMC and the membership.
He is a member of Moores Ridge United Methodist Church and serves on the pastor parish relationship committee. He is a 13-year active member of the Paoli Meridian Lions Club. He serves as an appointed representative of the Orange County Commissioners to the Paoli Planning Commission, and he is a member of the Town of Paoli Board of Zoning Appeals to represent the buffer zone membership. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family and working with his honey bees and cattle.
District 6 (Candidate by Petition)
Julie Hopper is the candidate by petition seeking the seat of District 6. She resides in Paoli (Greenfield Township) with her husband, Steve. Hopper was born and raised in Orange County and graduated from Orleans High School. She and her husband have two children, Destiny (Jeff) Cunningham and Jenna Osborne. They are also blessed with three grandsons, Jared, Mason and Max, and are members at Little Mission Church. In her free time she can be found cheering from the sidelines for her grandsons, who are very active in sports at Paoli Schools.
Julie has been employed by Orange County Family Dentistry for more than 32 years, first as a dental assistant and now as a receptionist/insurance coordinator. The Hoppers have also owned and operated H&H Auto Sales in Paoli for the past 26 years and enjoy taking short trips on their motorcycle. Hopper is currently serving her 13th year on the Paoli School board.
In running for a seat on the REMC board, Hopper feels her background is an asset. Education is very important in her priorities, and Orange County REMC promotes education and training for employees, members and the community.
