High West Energy Extends Gratitude to Ed Prosser for his Dedicated Service
High West Energy owes a debt of gratitude to Ed Prosser for his outstanding contributions as a board member for 11 years, with 9 of those years serving as board president, representing District 13. Prosser's unwavering dedication and leadership have been instrumental in guiding the cooperative through various challenges and successes.
During his tenure on the board, Prosser demonstrated a deep commitment to the cooperative's mission and values, always putting the best interests of the cooperative and its members first. His strategic vision and sound decision-making have helped shape High West Energy into the thriving entity it is today.
Prosser's guidance has been invaluable in steering the cooperative through periods of growth and transformation. His ability to foster collaboration and consensus among board members has been key to High West Energy's continued success.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Prosser's integrity, humility, and genuine concern for others have left a lasting impression on all who have had the privilege of working with him.
On behalf of the entire High West Energy cooperative, we extend our heartfelt thank you and respect to Ed Prosser for his tireless service and wish him all the best in his retirement.
High West Energy to Hold Board of Directors Election
The candidates for District 11 and 13 for the 2024 Board of Directors election have officially been determined by the nominating committee. There are two candidates nominated for District 11 including Michael Lerwick and Mike Romsa. There was one candidate nominated, Jessica Crowder, for District 13 upon Director Prosser's retirement.
All members in District 11 will receive ballots included in their annual report, which will be mailed out at the beginning of June. Members can mail in their ballots, bring them to one of High West Energy's drop boxes, or drop them off at our office in Pine Bluffs. Ballots must be at the Pine Bluffs headquarters no later than 3:30 pm on June 20, 2024. If you are going to use the convenience of one of our drop boxes, the ballot must be in there by the end of the day on June 19, 2024. High West Energy encourages District 11 members to review each candidate's information to make an informed decision.
District 11 Candidates
Mike Romsa
Mike Romsa is a lifelong resident of the Albin, Wyoming area. Since 1978 he has been a self-employed Farmer/Rancher. He's been married to his wife, Heidi, for 39 years and has 2 grown sons, Lukas and Levi, and has 4 grandchildren. Mike is still actively engaged in the family farming and ranching business raising wheat, corn, hay and running a small feedlot operation. In the past, Mike has served on the Wyoming Wheat Marketing Commission as a Board Member and as Chairman. He has also served on the Laramie County FSA Committee and the Wyoming State Engineer Water Advisory Board.
Michael Lerwick
It has been my pleasure to serve as your representative on the High West Energy Board of Directors over the past 8 years. I would be honored to continue to be able to serve as your representative.
A little about myself. My wife Diane and I have five children. Stuart is studying Ag/Business at the University of Wyoming. Justin is a junior, Hattie a sophomore, Kenny and Anna are twins in the seventh grade at Pine Bluffs High School. They are all very active in school and productive members of our family operation. I am the fourth generation on our family farm/ranch in the Albin area. We have a mix of irrigated and dryland farm as well as a cow/calf operation.
My time on the board has been very rewarding in learning more about the industry and advocating on behalf of our members. During the time I have served on the High West Energy board, we have been very fortunate to experience major growth that has helped fund an extensive maintenance program resulting in increased reliability while keeping our members rates steady in a time that inflation has been a very big issue. Our reliability and quality of service have been increasing over the past several years and we are continually improving the metrics. The electric industry has and will continue to face major challenges such as supply constraints and firm capacity of power production. We as a board have been diligent in protecting our members' interest within our three-state area. I have had the privilege to serve as the representative from High West Energy on the Wyoming Rural Electric Association (WREA) board. I served a two-year term as president of the WREA board and through that time we strengthened the members' voice on critical issues facing the industry on not only a statewide level but a national level as well.
We as a board continue to explore new opportunities and provide services that improve our members' lives. We have been fiscally responsible within each of these areas including the wiring and computer/IT services that we provide. We ensure the services are not subsidized by our members for those receiving the additional benefits.
Our most important task as a board is to support and guide a system that ensures safety, reliability, and competitively priced electricity to our members.
If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
307-630-1277
District 13 Candidate
Jessica Crowder
Jessica Crowder has been a member of High West Energy since 2016. High West Energy is involved in the communities it serves, providing more than energy to its members. Jessica is excited to serve our rural communities as a member of the board of directors and understands the important role local electric co-ops play in keeping these communities connected and economically viable.
Jessica was born in Victoria, Texas, and spent her childhood on a cattle ranch in central New Mexico. She graduated high school in Comfort, Texas. Jessica's early years and education built an interest in agriculture and stewardship of the land. She holds a M.S. in Range Science and a B.S. in Range Management from Texas Tech University. Her M.S. research focused on prescribed summer fire and grazing management in the Northern Great Plains.
Jessica is currently the Executive Director of the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust. The Land Trust is focused on conserving agricultural lands in Wyoming for future generations. Prior to joining the Land Trust, Jessica was the policy director and a policy associate for the Western Landowners Alliance. She served as a policy advisor for former Wyoming Governor Matt mead, a position she held for over four years. Jessica has also worked as a policy analyst for the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, as a technician for the Agricultural Research Service, and as an instructor at Northwest College in Powell, WY. Much of her work has focused on natural resource management with an emphasis on keeping working lands intact and economically viable across varied land ownerships. Jessica has experience working closely with landowners, federal partners, state agencies, local governments, and non-governmental organizations to develop policy and natural resources management options that benefit Wyoming citizens and Wyoming landscapes.
Jessica has been in Wyoming for almost 20 years. She enjoys spending time outdoors - riding horses, gardening, fishing, hiking, and traveling-with her husband Jason and their daughter Adelynn.
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