At this year’s annual meeting on April 11, the membership will elect two members to serve as a director on the Kankakee Valley REMC board. The members on the ballot have completed the necessary requirements to run for directorship. The members listed as candidates below are the only individuals listed on the ballot at the annual meeting. There will be no nominations accepted from the floor that evening.

The Kankakee Valley REMC service territory is divided into five districts. Our board of directors is composed of one member from each of the five districts, as well at two at large directors who may reside in any district. Each director serves a term of three years.

Candidates this year running for directorship completed a petition containing the signatures of 15 members who reside in their district. In addition, candidates attended a mandatory directorship meeting where they learned about the cooperative and what the responsibilities are as a director. Members running for directorship cannot be related to an REMC employee or director, and cannot be engaged in business with the REMC or a competing entity.

This year’s candidates are being elected to fill District 4 and an at large position. District 4 includes Davis, Center, Oregon, Washington, North Bend townships in Starke County and Union and West townships in Marshall County. The at large seat is open to all members residing in a township that is part of the KVREMC service territory.

A democratic and open election is one of the many elements that make your electric cooperative stand out from other utilities. Having a voice in who makes the major decision that directly affect your life and your family is a right we all share as Americans. Attend the annual meeting on April 11 and vote for your representation on the board.

Your board candidates

ANDY BLASTICK — AT LARGE

ANDY 
BLASTICK

Andy Blastick and his family live in Morgan Township and have been KVREMC members since 2009. However, his extended family have been members since the cooperative’s inception 78 years ago. After graduating from Morgan Township High School, Blastick went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in education from Indiana University. He is currently employed with the City of Valparaiso.

Blastick is active in the community, serving on the advisory board for Morgan Township and also as a volunteer for the Porter County Fair. He served on the Kankakee Valley REMC board from 2010 to 2016 and earned a Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Blastick would like the opportunity to again serve the membership in a board director capacity. He hopes to help KVREMC continue being practical and fiscally responsible, while being open to exploring emerging energy options for a sustainable and sound future for its members.

DEAN MORETTON — AT LARGE

DEAN 
MORETTON

Dean Moretton, wife Laura and three children are Morgan Township residents and KVREMC members since 2001. Moretton is a degreed electrical engineer from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University.

He is an energy consultant and industry leader with 29 years of experience in the utility sector, focusing on renewable energy to minimize energy costs for utilities and their customers. At the forefront of the energy industry, Moretton is exposed to cooperative “best industry practices” across the U.S. By implementing cutting-edge technology, he is able to evaluate these solutions for KVREMC.

Moretton was elected to the KVREMC board of directors in 2014 and is also on the National Cooperative Leadership Network board. He also holds certificates as a Credentialed Cooperative Director, Project Management Professional, and a Purdue Entrepreneur.

KATHY GROTT — AT LARGE

KATHY 
GROTT

Kathy Grott has been a Kankakee Valley REMC member since 2016 and currently resides in Wanatah. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the University of St. Francis and a Master of Science degree in elementary guidance from Western Michigan University.

In 39 years of teaching, Grott taught grades 1-8 in both public and private schools. She also taught special needs students and served as an elementary school principal. Grott stays active in the community with her involvement in Wanatah Lions Club, Bowls of Plenty-Sacred Heart Church, Care Ministry, and as a church lector and a eucharistic minister.

Now retired, she enjoys fishing, gardening, golf and traveling. Grott is interested in being a KVREMC board member to continue what she has always enjoyed: serving others and advancing her education and knowledge. Her past experiences have instilled a strong work ethic and problem-solving skills which have proven to be invaluable. It is these experiences that Grott believes can be utilized to help the KVREMC board advance to the next level.

MIKE YANKAUSKAS — DISTRICT 4

MIKE 
YANKAUSKAS

Mike Yankauskas and his wife, Kate, have been KVREMC members since 1977 and reside near Grovertown.  The couple have three sons and eight grandchildren.

Yankauskas has a bachelor’s degree in biological science and agronomy from Purdue University. He is owner-operator of a farrow-to-finish hog farm. Yankauskas is active in the community where he serves as a board member for the Starke County Co-op and Knox Community Schools. He is also a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Knox.

Yankauskas previously served on the REMC board from 1990-2014 and served as president and vice president. He is also the co-op’s representative on the board of Wabash Valley Power Association (our power supplier), where he currently serves as its board president. He has received his Credentialed Cooperative Director certification and his Board Leadership certificate from NRECA. Yankauskas would like to once again serve on the board to assist in providing direction during this transformational time in the industry. His past experience will help the board with the evolution of affordable energy sources and technology.