Capital Electric’s 79th annual meeting
Bismarck Event Center
Exhibit halls C/D
Tuesday, June 10th
Registration and dinner - 4:30 p.m.
Business meeting – 6:30 p.m.
Meet your 2025 board of director candidates
Kayla Pulvermacher - District 1
Click here to view the candidate's video
What makes you a good candidate for Capital Electric Cooperative’s board of directors?
My motivation to seek a position on the board of directors stems from a deep desire to give back to the cooperative that has supported us for so long. As we navigate the challenges of an evolving energy landscape, including increasing energy demands and ensuring affordable and reliable service, I believe my skills, experience and dedication can help guide Capital Electric through these times.
If elected, what are your priorities?
Keeping energy costs manageable while maintaining the quality of service, ensure the voices of our members are heard, that communications remain open and that decisions are made with the members’ bests interests in mind and advocating forward-thinking solutions that consider technological advancements that will keep the cooperative competitive.
Whitford Dwyer - District 1
Click here to view the candidate's video
What makes you a good candidate for Capital Electric Cooperative’s board of directors?
I bring a multitude of experiences to the table. I owned and operated two different successful businesses, served on the City of Parshall City Council for 16 years, four as president. In my last position with the ND Army National Guard, I was the State Deputy Maintenance Manager, overseeing 8 shop operations and 140 employees, with an annual budget over $1M. While on active duty for four years, I was the Senior Maintenance Warrant Officer for the National Guard Bureau in Arlington, VA.
If elected, what are your priorities?
I will be an advocate for cost effective solutions to keep rates stable and competitive, encourage effective communication within the co-op and employees, be an advocate for smart growth with ever increasing electrical demand vs supply, promote workforce safety and ensure our co-op remains fiscally stable.
Sara Vollmer - District 2
Click here to view the candidate's video
What makes you a good candidate for Capital Electric Cooperative’s board of directors?
I am a good candidate for the Capital Electric Board, as I blend a unique background in energy and agriculture. I work for Bismarck State College, helping provide highly trained employees for the energy industry. I also represent our rural members as I live on a ranch in NE Burleigh County. I have a deep commitment to cooperative principles running a cattle operation with my husband and family.
If elected, what are your priorities?
With the increasing costs associated with goods and services, my priorities are focused on providing reliable energy at a competitive price and ensuring that our membership has options for cost saving opportunities for farms, residential and commercial accounts. As our cooperative grows, I am committed to serving Capital Electric’s members with integrity, responsibility and accountability.
Cooper Silha - District 2
Click here to view the candidate's video
What makes you a good candidate for Capital Electric Cooperative’s board of directors?
With more than 20 years of experience in the electrical field from power plants to oil fields, and residential to commercial buildings. I feel the knowledge I have gained from these years has proved to be invaluable as a consumer and has helped me shape my decisions throughout to be more energy conscious. These values and habits that I have learned should prove to make me a great fit to be placed on the board of directors.
If elected, what are your priorities?
If elected, my priorities will be to learn the ins and outs of the cooperative so I may be well versed in helping set policies that will guide the cooperative toward the future and to better serve the cooperative’s members.
Lyndon Anderson - District 3
Click here to view the candidate's video
What makes you a good candidate for Capital Electric Cooperative’s board of directors?
My career included employment in both the agriculture & energy industries in North Dakota, the most recent with Great River Energy, a cooperative, from 2003-2021. That experience was invaluable to understanding what cooperatives do to provide electricity to homes, farms and businesses in the region. My experience with boards includes Capital Electric Cooperative, the Burleigh County Soil Conservation District and a past six-year term on the North Dakota 4-H Foundation board.
If elected, what are your priorities?
If elected, I would work to ensure that Capital Electric focuses on what truly matters to its member-owners, providing reliable, competitively priced electricity to power our homes, farms and businesses. We obviously live in challenging times, with many outside forces impacting our co-op. As a board member, it’s important to bring unique perspectives and to ask the necessary questions to continually improve the operational efficiency of Capital Electric.
Luke Ellenbaum - District 3
Click here to view the candidate's video
What makes you a good candidate for Capital Electric Cooperative’s board of directors?
I have been a CEC member for 20 years. I am a registered professional engineer with an MBA, and I have spent most of my career in the energy industry, mostly in project management. I have worked for a public utility, and have experience in load forecasting, data analysis, financial projections and general problem solving. Most importantly, I am concerned about and motivated to ensure the long-term best interest of CEC members with primary concerns being electric costs and reliability.
If elected, what are your priorities?
1) Evaluate markets and contracts as they relate to CEC wholesale power and peak event costs, 2) review CEC expenses, capital, and associated escalation, 3) determine what cost mitigation strategies have been discussed or evaluated, 4) evaluate the deviation from historical norms in the new rate structures, 5) evaluate the long-term impact of recent rate methodologies on CEC membership, 6) improve communications related to electricity costs, and 7) improve CEC services to members for load and cost management.