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Three Co-op Members Elected to Southwestern’s Board of Directors
Three members of Southwestern Electric Cooperative were elected to the co-op’s board of directors during Southwestern Electric’s 81st Annual Meeting of Members, held Saturday, Sept. 7, at Greenville Junior High School in Greenville. Southwestern members elected one director from each of the co-op’s three voting districts.
From District I, incumbent Sandy Grapperhaus of Collinsville defeated challengers James Ryan Morris of St. Jacob and Chris Burcham of Edwardsville. Grapperhaus received 918 votes, Morris received 138 votes and 127 votes were cast for Burcham.
From District II, incumbent Ted Willman of Greenville defeated challenger Roger Thiems of Sorento. Willman received 802 votes, while 420 members cast votes for Thiems.
Ann Schwarm, an incumbent from District III who resides in Loogootee, ran unopposed and was elected by acclamation.
Each director will serve a three-year term on the board.
SANDY GRAPPERHAUS
Sandy Grapperhaus’ rural roots run deep. A lifelong local resident, she’s been a member of Southwestern Electric for more than 30 years and served on the board since 2011.
During her most recent term, she worked with the co-op’s directors and management team to guide infrastructure investment and support the installation of new technology across Southwestern’s distribution system.
Sandy Grapperhaus has served as vice president of Southwestern’s board of directors since 2018. She chairs the cooperative’s Business Development & Marketing Committee, and serves on the Executive Committee, Policies & Bylaws Committee, and Technology & Cybersecurity Committee. She has earned a Credentialed Cooperative Director designation from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Sandy Grapperhaus is the executive assistant at Korte Construction Co. in Highland. She also helps her husband, Dan, with their small farm between Troy and Collinsville. They have three grown children.
TED WILLMAN
Ted Willman has been a cooperative leader for more than a quarter century. Shortly after becoming a Southwestern Electric member in 1987, Willman joined the co-op’s Nominations Committee. He served on the committee for 13 years before being elected to the board in 2001.
He’s earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director designation and a Board Leadership Certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and presently serves on three Southwestern Electric board committees: Scholarships, Community & Public Relations, and Business Development & Marketing.
Willman credits the co-op’s strong financial position to the support of the membership and the board’s ability to build differing points of view into a single, unified vision. A farmer since 1976, Ted Willman resides south of Greenville.
ANN SCHWARM
During her most recent term, Ann Schwarm led the board in strategic planning, assisted in the transition to a new CEO and three new directors, and worked with Southwestern’s board and management team to support infrastructure improvements throughout the co-op’s service area.
Schwarm brings to her role on the board a diverse professional background, with experience in agricultural communications, program development, education and small-business management. She retired from the Regional Office of Education in 2016 with 21 years of service.
She’s also served on the First National Bank of Vandalia board of directors for the past 21 years, and spent four years on the Brownstown Community Unit School District Board. She is a 1979 graduate of the University of Missouri-School of Journalism.
Ann and her husband, Gene, live on a farm in rural Loogootee. They have been married for 38 years and have two grown sons.
Caption: Members elected three directors to the co-op’s board during the annual meeting. Pictured are (l-r) Southwestern CEO Bobby Williams with directors Sandy Grapperhaus of Collinsville, Ted Willman of Greenville, and Ann Schwarm of Loogootee.