2009 AIEC Annual Meeting
July 29 - 31

Mark your calendars now for the AIEC's 68th Annual Meeting on July 29 - 31 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield.  Online registration is now open - for more information follow the registration link below.  

To register click here! 

AIEC Receives Grant From Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

On Friday, June 26, Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) presented the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) a $250,000 grant check as a follow up to its existing GeoAlliance program. GeoAlliance is a collaboration of the AIEC and ICECF that was developed in 2003 to promote the use of highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling equipment installations in rural areas. ICECF funds the grants, and the AIEC administers the grant program.  Present at the check award ceremony were (left to right): Nancy Nixon, marketing administrator, AIEC; John Freitag, vice president of operations, AIEC; Phil Novak, board chairman, ICECF; and Bob Romo, senior program officer, ICECF.

To read the artaicle in its entirety click here.

Advancing Wind Power in Illinois
Third Annual Conference

July 15-16, 2009
Interstate Center, Bloomington, IL

The Illinois Wind Working Group (IWWG) will host the third annual Advancing Wind Power in Illinois Conference, July 15-16 in Bloomington.  The two-day conference will cover many aspects of wind energy including small wind, community wind, and large wind farms. 

The conference is open to the public and will be of special interest to landowners interested in wind turbines or leasing their land, county board members, zoning board administrators, wind development companies, elected officials and many more.  For more information about the conference click here for the brochure.

Congressman Aaron Schock Meets YTW Group

65 youth from electric and telephone cooperatives across the state had the opportunity to meet with their congressmen and senators during the Youth to Washington tour held June 12-19.  Shown in the photo are the chaperones and students from Corn Belt Energy in front of our nation's Capitol Building with Congressman Aaron Schock.

For a look at the complete photo library, go to the Youth Programs - Youth to Washington page and go to the bottom to Tour Photos.

  Luke Sailer Chosen as YLC Representative

Luke Sailer of Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative was chosen by his peers to represent Illinois on the 2010 Youth Leadership Council.  65 youth from across the state left Springfield on Friday, June 12, for the annual Youth to Washington tour. 

While on the tour the students learn about cooperatives by setting up their own "Chip and Pop" Cooperative and elect a manager and board of directors.  This year's co-op manager is Kelsey Bunner of Spoon River Electric.  Her board of directors are Jacob Cantrell, Emily Tanner, and Jenna Harner of SouthEastern Illinois Electric; Evan Davis, Spoon River Electric; Cheyenne Starman of Adams Telephone; Shawn Otey, Wayne-White Counties Electric; and Jessa Hawkins of Tri-County Electric.  For more information about the tour or to view the trip's itinerary and current photos, go the the AIEC Youth Programs, Youth to Washington Tour webpage and click on the link for each.

 Mike Johnson Named New President/CEO of Clinton County Electric Cooperative

Mike Johnson, currently Manager of Finance & Corporate Services at Poudre Valley REA in Fort Collins, Co., has been selected as the new President and Chief Operating Officer at Clinton County Electric Cooperative in Breese, Ill.  He will begin work on July 7.

Johnson was selected from among several strong applicants to fill the Clinton County opening vacated earlier this year by James Riddle.  Johnson says he prefers the Midwest because of the work ethic of the people and the quality of life it offers.

As a veteran to energy issues, Johnson says he intends to represent his cooperative members as Congress moves forward with what will probably be a carbon tax.  "Our duty and our role is to try to mitigate the impact on members," Johnson says.  He believes cooperative leadership can help hold those increases to a minimum with energy efficiency programs.

The AIEC welcomes Mike to the cooperative family.