Lasher helps co-op become ‘big player’

With 29 years of service on the Capital Electric board of directors, Duane Lasher takes the Touchstone

Rusty Lasher holds a picture of his father, Norman Lasher, who served on the Capital Electric Cooperative board of directors for 33 years.

Energy® values of accountability and commitment to community to heart.

His core beliefs were passed down to him by his father, who played a critical role in the establishment of the cooperative prior to 1948. Norman Lasher served on the Capital Electric board of directors for 33 years. When he died in 1977, he left a vacant seat on the board -- and fellow members asked Duane to fill his father’s position.

Better known as “Rusty” to his colleagues and friends, Duane serves as board president for Capital Electric. He says he’s proud of the cooperative philosophy, which has become a model that many businesses try to pattern today.

“Our members have the say, and they are the sole beneficiaries of this organization. All of the margins generated during the year are put back into the hands of the membership in the form of capital credits,” he says. “We’re not working for anybody else but ourselves. We’re not trying to generate a profit for stockholders. That is a wonderful aspect of this organization.”

The most rewarding part of Rusty’s board service over the years has been working with the people and rural electrics of North Dakota.

“Cooperatives across the state carry out their activities in a very professional manner, and I’m proud to be associated with them. It’s those people who go out in the field that really make a difference,” he says.

“We also have a staff right here in Burleigh and Sheridan Counties that has done a super job for Capital Electric. I was chairman of the board back in 1983 when we hired a young fellow by the name of Lars Nygren. Under his leadership and the dedication of our support staff, this cooperative has thrived.”

With an invested 29 years of accountability, Rusty has seen his share of challenges. He remembers a time when the energy field was overbuilt and members felt the crunch through annual rate increases.

Rusty continues to serve on the board as a director.

“That trend has certainly reversed itself. Just last fall, Basin Electric collaborated with Florida Power and Light (FPL) Energy to produce a wind farm near Wilton. North Dakota is a host to some valuable natural resources. As a growing cooperative, we must continue to find ways of creating alternative energy,” he says.

Maintaining the cooperative’s stability and meeting the area’s explosive growth requires a lot of time and strategic planning, says Rusty, although he’s no stranger to hard work. Growing up on a farm located south of McClusky, he began farming back in high school when his grandfather gave him a couple quarters of land.

He also took a part-time job selling electric fry pans from farm to farm – and his employer was Capital Electric.

“I think the pans sold for $20, and members paid $2 a month extra on their light bill to cover the cost. The purpose of selling them back then was to increase load,” says Rusty. “Today we have a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to control or shave the peaks for more efficient use of power.”

Rusty’s knowledge of frying pans was put to good use when he was drafted by the U.S. Army. For two years, he cooked and fed the troops in Kentucky.

Upon completion of his service, Rusty returned to farming and his wife, whom he had married after basic training. They started a family and shared many satisfying years before tragedy struck. Their daughter died at the tender age of 15, and later Rusty lost his wife to a four-year battle with cancer in 1988.

“I think those experiences mold us and help us to become stronger, more compassionate people. They make us value the brevity of life,” he says.

Rusty found love for a second special time in 1992 on a tour to Norway. He married Lois two years later, and they combined children and grandchildren. His son, Todd, farms three miles away from the original farmstead of Norman Lasher.

While he’s still active on the farm, Rusty enjoys the change of pace that his board position offers.

“Working with fellow directors, management and all the employees at Capital Electric is a fulfilling experience,” he says. “I also remember and appreciate the work of our past leaders, and how they molded this organization.”

“I’m inspired when I look at the wall in the board room and see all the past board members’ pictures, and what those pioneers accomplished. I want to help continue that legacy, and carry on the tradition of providing the most economical and reliable service to our members,” Rusty says.

“Capital Electric has been a big player in the development of Bismarck and its surrounding areas since our incorporation in 1948. We planted our roots, they took a firm hold, and they continue to serve as our foundation and strength – and that strength only continues to increase.

“As a cooperative that is committed to its member-owners, we’ve made significant investments to support this community -- to help grow and build it. It’s an endeavor Capital Electric will continue for generations to come, because we feel it’s a great place to grow up, and to work and to live,” he says.