Mark Harper Wins National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Regional Award For Outstanding Service

PITTSBURGH, PA, September 6, 2007 – The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) recognized Mark Harper for Outstanding Service at the association’s regional meeting in Pittsburgh, PA.

According to J. Steven Smith, CEO of HoosierEnergy in Bloomington, Ind., Harper is “a true ‘utility player’ in Indiana.” On several occasions, Harper served in interim positions at Indiana co-ops, including stints as Interim Manager at Henry County REMC and Interim CEO at Clark County REMC CEO.

Said Dan Arnholt, General Manager and CEO of Bartholomew County REMC: “Mark not only filled the vacancy during the interim, but proactively led both the employees and Boards of Directors to make appropriate changes in operations or policy…. In interim roles it is easy to just to sit in the chair and report to the board that everything is normal. It is a whole different issue to proactively seek out issues and policy that are hindering services to the membership and take positive action to make the changes necessary to benefit the membership.”

Harper has spent his career in service to the cooperative community. He took the helm of Bartholomew County REMC in 1971. In 1976 he left to become the Regional Vice President of Cooperative Finance Corporation, where he helped many cooperatives meet their financial needs. Following his retirement, in addition to filling in where needed, Harper has provided a variety of consulting services to co-ops nationwide.

Mark is “a stellar example of a rural electric leader who served more than well over his lifetime, while remaining humble yet up-to-date on all aspects of the rural electric industry,” said Candace S. Meyer, Secretary/Treasurer of the Clark County REMC in Sellersburg, Ind.

More than 1,000 electric co-op officials from 14 states are convening in Pittsburgh to get the latest information on competition and consumer protection in the electric utility industry. Attendees are locally elected directors and key staff from 138 cooperative electric utilities serving more than 7.2 million people.

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