Runestone Electric Association, Agralite Electric Cooperative, and Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative have maintained a loose affiliation since the early 1980's. This affiliation provided a framework to share an Electrical Engineer and combine quantities for purchase of high volume equipment. The primary goal was to reduce costs associated with each function by spreading fixed expense across multiple organizations. In 1997, the affiliation developed into a recommendation to form a Limited Liability Company that would further enhance the concept of shared services while allowing each cooperative to keep its individual identity. In September, 2001, Meeker Cooperative joined STAR. This addition created an environment for STAR to strengthen existing services and evaluate new opportunities.
Cooperatives operating in rural areas throughout our region face many of the same issues as the member cooperatives. This commonality suggests that those services presently offered to the STAR members will be of interest to other organizations. Guidance by the STAR members helps focus STAR's portfolio of services on areas of importance.
STAR Energy Services is a Limited Liability Company, registered in the State of Minnesota. The four equal members of STAR Energy Services are Agralite Electric Cooperative of Benson, Runestone Electric Association of Alexandria, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative of Wadena, and Meeker Cooperative of Litchfield. All are electric distribution cooperatives operating in the state of Minnesota. Members are the owners and partners of the company, each owning an equal share. The member cooperatives chose this organizational structure to limit liability, preserve control of their equity investment, and deliver services to a participant client base.
The business location of STAR Energy Services is Seventh and Fillmore, Alexandria, Minnesota 56308. Satellite offices are located at, and contact is available through, any of the four LLC member cooperative offices.
Company operation and sales of service or products will be under the regulation of all applicable federal and state laws pertaining to Limited Liability Companies.
The Board of Governors includes experienced and qualified business and industry professionals. The Board of Governors will develop guiding policies and be responsible for hiring the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of STAR Energy Services. The STAR Board consists of three to nine members. Presently, each member is represented by one Cooperative Director along with the General Manager or CEO. The governors are:
Agralite Cooperative: Leforest Groff, Ramon Millett
Runestone Electric Association: Wilber Burquest, Rick Banke
Todd Wadena Electric Cooperative: Bruce Berg, Dale Hendrickson
Meeker Cooperative: Bernie Hankins, Tim Mergen
We deliver quality services most efficiently by leveraging experience of the employee group. Our experience is built from within the member cooperatives and extended to new customers.
Clients and members receive benefit of industry involvement through committee assignments at GRE, attendance of conferences such as the Minnesota Power Systems Conference and RUS electrical engineering seminar, various safety development programs, and leadership in technology application.
Since STAR is owned by Rural Electric Cooperatives, our management style, philosophies, and decision making processes are heavily influenced by cooperative fundamentals. We understand the challenges faced by REC's as communicated through daily interaction with cooperative employees and through guidance provided by the STAR Board of Governors. STAR has a weekly presence in each cooperative office, each member cooperative has two representatives on the STAR Board of Governors, and cooperative general managers and CEO's interact closely with STAR's CEO.
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