2025 Responsibility Report: Associated Electric Cooperative
Associated Electric Cooperative, a member-owned, member-led, not-for-profit electric cooperative, proudly generates responsible electricity for more than 2.1 million people across rural Missouri, southeast Iowa and northeast Oklahoma.
Supporting and empowering the rural way of life for homes, farms and businesses is a foundational commitment of electric co-ops. Associated’s mission to provide reliable, low-cost wholesale power supply for its members requires balance with responsible power generation. Empowered by member-led governance, Associated’s accountability for safeguarding the environment and well-being of the communities it serves remains steadfast, delivering meaningful results for environmental, social and governance priorities.
Our Mission:
Provide an economical and reliable power supply and support services to members.
Our Vision: Be the lowest-cost wholesale power supplier.
Our Values: Safety, Integrity, Member Focus, Employee Value, Performance Excellence and Community Citizenship.
Responsible power supply for the American Heartland
To our member-owners and valued partners,
In rural America, a promise made is a promise kept. Since Associated Electric Cooperative’s founding in 1961, we’ve promised to generate responsible power supply for our six G&T member-owners and the 51 distribution cooperatives they serve, ultimately providing electricity to 2.1 million member-consumers across the Midwest.
This report highlights Associated’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitment and successes – and our ongoing efforts to responsibly care for the members we serve and employees who make it possible. As we look to the future, we remain committed to the following principles:
• Responsibly generating electricity is a way of life for our cooperative.
• Reliability cannot be sacrificed in today’s energy dependent world.
• Affordability for members through low-cost power is essential.
For more than six decades, Associated has reliably and affordably kept the lights on while responsibly stewarding member resources and bettering the communities we serve. Our co-op takes pride in this rich heritage and the role we play in providing responsible power supply for rural Americans. Associated and its member-led board will continue to maintain a sharp focus on its mission to provide reliable, affordable and responsible electricity for member-owners. We thank you for your ongoing trust and support.
Emery O. “Buster” Geisendorfer president, Associated Electric Cooperative board of directors
David J. Tudor CEO and general manager, Associated Electric Cooperative
A letter from Emery “Buster” Geisendorfer and David Tudor
Associated service area and facilities
Electric cooperatives of the Associated system
Central Electric Power Cooperative – Jefferson City, Mo.
Founded in 1949 • 34 counties served
• Boone Electric Cooperative – Columbia, Missouri
• Callaway Electric Cooperative – Fulton, Missouri
• Central Missouri Electric Cooperative Inc. – Sedalia, Missouri
• Co-Mo Electric Cooperative Inc. – Tipton, Missouri
• Consolidated Electric Cooperative Inc. – Mexico, Missouri
• Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Inc. – Troy, Missouri
• Howard Electric Cooperative – Fayette, Missouri
• Three Rivers Electric Cooperative – Linn, Missouri
KAMO Power – Vinita, Okla.
Founded in 1941 • 51 counties served
• Barry Electric Cooperative – Cassville, Missouri
• Barton County Electric Cooperative Inc. – Lamar, Missouri
• Central Electric Cooperative – Stillwater, Oklahoma
• Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative Inc. – Stigler, Oklahoma
• East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative Inc. – Okmulgee, Oklahoma
• Indian Electric Cooperative Inc. – Cleveland, Oklahoma
• Kiamichi Electric Cooperative Inc. – Wilburton, Oklahoma
• Lake Region Electric Cooperative Inc. – Hulbert, Oklahoma
• New-Mac Electric Cooperative Inc. – Neosho, Missouri
• Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative Inc. – Vinita, Oklahoma
• Osage Valley Electric Cooperative Association – Butler, Missouri
• Ozark Electric Cooperative – Mt. Vernon, Missouri
• Ozarks Electric Cooperative Corp. – Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Sac Osage Electric Cooperative Inc. – El Dorado Springs, Missouri
• Southwest Electric Cooperative – Bolivar, Missouri
• Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. – Collinsville, Oklahoma
• White River Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. – Branson, Missouri
M&A Electric Power Cooperative – Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Founded in 1948 • 18 counties served
• Black River Electric Cooperative – Fredericktown, Missouri
• Ozark Border Electric Cooperative – Poplar Bluff, Missouri
• Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative – Hayti, Missouri
• SEMO Electric Cooperative – Sikeston, Missouri
Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative – Palmyra, Mo.
Founded in 1948 • 33 counties served
• Access Energy Cooperative – Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
• Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. – Albia, Iowa
• Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative – Lewistown, Missouri
• Macon Electric Cooperative – Macon, Missouri
• Missouri Rural Electric Cooperative – Palmyra, Missouri
• Ralls County Electric Cooperative – New London, Missouri
• Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative Inc. – Bloomfield, Iowa
• Tri-County Electric Cooperative Association – Lancaster, Missouri
NW Electric Power Cooperative Inc. – Cameron, Mo.
Founded in 1949 • 32 counties served
• Atchison-Holt Electric Cooperative – Rock Port, Missouri
• Farmers’ Electric Cooperative Inc. – Chillicothe, Missouri
• Grundy Electric Cooperative Inc. – Trenton, Missouri
• North Central Missouri Electric Cooperative Inc. – Milan, Missouri
• Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative Inc. – Kearney, Missouri
• United Electric Cooperative Inc. – Savannah, Missouri
• West Central Electric Cooperative Inc. – Higginsville, Missouri
Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative – Marshfield, Mo.
Founded in 1941 • 26 counties served
• Crawford Electric Cooperative Inc. – Bourbon, Missouri
• Gascosage Electric Cooperative – Dixon, Missouri
• Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative Inc. – West Plains, Missouri
• Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association – Licking, Missouri
• Laclede Electric Cooperative – Lebanon, Missouri
• Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative – Mansfield, Missouri
• Southwest Electric Cooperative – Bolivar, Missouri
• Webster Electric Cooperative – Marshfield, Missouri
• White River Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. – Branson, Missouri
ENVIRONMENTAL
$1B+ invested in reducing air emissions since 2005
RESPONSIBLY POWERING A BRIGHTER TOMORROW
As an electric cooperative, Associated’s employees and rural members live where we generate electricity and take pride in caring for the air we breathe, water we drink and land we farm. Accountability to each other, and the resources we all depend on, is the foundation of Associated’s strong culture of compliance, safety, innovation and environmental stewardship.
36.4% decrease in carbon emissions since 2005
$115M invested to meet Coal Combustion Residuals and Effluent Limitations Guidelines issued by the EPA since 2015
Balanced generation fleet shrinks carbon footprint In the push and pull between the competing priorities of reliable, affordable and responsible power, Associated remains committed to managing a balanced generation fleet that decreases environmental impact while meeting members’ power supply needs.
Associated’s diverse generation fleet of coal, natural gas, liquid fuel, wind and hydropower resources allows for optionality that enables the co-op to take advantage of weather and lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Overall, our CO₂ emissions per megawatt-hour produced has been reduced by more than a third since 2005, thanks to alternative generation resources, plant heat rate improvements and a shift to natural gas generation.
Looking to the future, Associated’s long-range environmental planning is key to continued environmental stewardship as demand for energy increases. When forming our long-term investment and development plans, a range of carbonreduction scenarios are evaluated and prioritized for compliance with all federal and state regulations. Currently, Associated is constructing two new natural gas peaking units, one in Missouri and one in Oklahoma, to reliably power member needs. The new simple-cycle units will comply with all emissions requirements, be capable of burning a blend of up to 30% hydrogen if viable and economical, and have selective catalytic reducers installed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
Left: Alex Leathers, chemical lab technician at Thomas Hill Energy Center, collects daily water samples for lab testing that ensures water quality and environmental compliance.
Associated’s alternative generation legacy continues
At Associated’s formation in 1961, hydropower from manmade reservoirs was a key source of affordable, responsible power for member-owners. Today, hydropower generated by federal dams in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas remains a vital alternative generation resource in Associated’s portfolio. Hydropower’s role as a low-cost, carbonfree resource generated 5% of member energy needs in 2024, with Associated contracting purchases of available hydropower from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Southwestern Power Administration.
Another important alternative resource – wind energy – has been part of the Associated generation mix since the 2000s. Associated solidified its role as a national wind energy leader by helping to bring the first utility-scale wind farm to Missouri in 2007, thanks to long-term purchase agreements and the cooperative’s strong high-voltage transmission system. Associated buys the output from eight wind farms located in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, totaling 1,240 MW of contracted wind energy. In 2024, wind energy generated 17% of member energy needs.
Technology reduces air emissions
As technology continues to advance, Associated remains vigilant to invest in proven technologies that allow the cooperative to reduce its environmental impact. Associated’s air quality improvements cost more than $45 million annually, including fixed and operating costs, to achieve significant results.
Associated was one of the first utilities in the country to construct selective catalytic reduction equipment on large cyclone units, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by about 86% since 1994. The cooperative is proud of its efforts to install low nitrogen oxide burners, use “over- fire air” technologies at its coal units and convert to low-sulfur coal. Collectively, these actions have reduced mercury emissions by 93% since 2008 and lowered sulfur dioxide emissions by nearly 95% over the last 30 years.
Protecting water quality
Water is a vital resource for power plant operations and Associated is committed to ensuring the quality of the water we use. At all of our plants, Associated fully complies with the Clean Water Act, which requires water and discharge permits, and Effluent Limitation Guidelines, which regulates the use of water in industrial and commercial facilities.
Primarily a cooling source, water used for generating electricity for our members comes from the Mississippi River; groundwater wells; purchased water supplies; and Thomas Hill Reservoir, which we built for our power plant.
Top left: Table Rock Dam, located on the White River near Branson, Missouri, has provided low-cost, carbon-free generation for Associated’s member-owners since the co-op’s founding. Bottom left: Ryan Dawson, chemical lab technician, tests water quality at Thomas Hill Energy Center, a key component of Associated’s environmental commitment and maintenance efforts.
One of Associated’s largest generating units can use about 330,000 gallons of water per minute on a hot day, with the bulk of water used to cool and condense steam used to generate electricity. Associated removes corrosive minerals that could damage equipment from the water we consume, then returns 99% of all water to the source after its use in as good or better condition than when it was withdrawn from the river or lake.
Additionally, Associated’s efforts to safely manage coal ash at the New Madrid and Thomas Hill power plants led to all ash ponds, which were previously used to manage byproducts from power generation, to be either closed or in the process of closing. To further decrease environmental impact, these plants converted to dry handling and disposal of coal ash in accordance with federal and state regulations, reducing water supply needs and protecting groundwater.
Award-winning conservation of habitat and wildlife
Associated is a national leader in mine reclamation, transforming hundreds of acres of old mining pits into pasture, woods and water benefiting fish and wildlife. Reclamation efforts have been twice recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior for innovative and successful mine reclamation and restoration of the Bee Veer Mine near Macon, Missouri. Nearby, Associated annually leases its 4,950-acre Thomas Hill Reservoir and surrounding 4,381 acres to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), partnering with the agency to manage the area for fish, wildlife and recreation.
Another successful partnership with MDC takes flight each spring: a peregrine falcon restoration program. Once on the endangered species list, peregrine falcons are again thriving in Missouri, thanks in part to efforts by Associated. Nesting boxes at New Madrid Power Plant and Thomas Hill Energy Center replicate the falcons’ natural nesting sites on cliffs and rocky bluffs. Falcons can nest safely on the stacks and, if eggs are laid and hatched, chicks are banded by MDC to track and assess the falcon population in the state. Associated also participates as a member of the national Avian Powerline Interaction Committee, adopting best management practices for construction and maintenance of transmission facilities, as well as electrical equipment, to prevent electrocutions that contribute to avian mortality and unplanned outages.
Additionally, Associated manages its cooperative-owned acreage with an eye on conservation. Pollinator plots at Thomas Hill Energy Center and Nodaway Power Plant, seeded with locally sourced native seed mix, enhance biodiversity and support pollinator populations in northern Missouri. And true to our rural roots, Associated leases land to more than 40 farmers for crop production, haying and pasture ground, furthering our responsible use of natural resources on behalf of members.
22% of member load generated by a mix of hydropower and wind energy in 2024
39% of member load generated by natural gas in 2024, ensuring reliability while reducing emissions
Top right: Joe Burris (right), manager, safety and environmental at Thomas Hill Energy Center, assists the Missouri Department of Conservation in banding a newly-hatched peregrine falcon chick.
SOCIAL
1.12
OSHA recordable incident rate in 2024, tied for all-time record
POWER WITH PURPOSE
At Associated, our members empower the cooperative to be a force for good across the rural Midwest. Whether it’s generating safe and affordable electricity, giving back to area non-profits, activating volunteer efforts or driving economic growth, Associated is committed to caring for its members and employees while improving the lives of our home communities. Together, we’re generating power with purpose.
Focused on reliable, affordable electricity
The need for low-cost power supply rural member-consumers could depend on was the driving force behind Associated’s creation as an electric cooperative in 1961. Today, our members continue to authorize Associated to prioritize reliable, affordable energy.
$281M in member rate discounts from 2019-2024
3.7B+
kilowatt-hours (kWh) in projected savings over lifetime of Take Control & Save program
In 2024, the bi-annual member satisfaction survey results for Associated’s member systems showed reliability was the most important attribute of electricity (56%), followed by affordability (40%) and zero carbon and/ or renewable resources (4%). In grading their local distribution cooperative, members ranked an overall score of 83 on the 100-point scale of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), nine points higher than the national average for investor-owned utilities and eight points higher than municipal utilities.
Associated never forgets the rural members we serve, who are largely working families of modest means. 49% of Associated’s memberconsumers are older than age 55, with 22% having a household income less than $50,000 and 7% less than $25,000. Affordable electricity isn’t just an expectation – it’s a necessity. Associated’s diverse generation fleet helps the cooperative select the lowest-cost generation resource to keep costs competitive. In 2024, Associated’s average member rate was $56/ megawatt-hour, among the lowest wholesale power rates in the nation.
Additionally, everyday member-consumers can receive assistance to control energy costs through the Take Control & Save program, a suite of energy efficiency services and rebates. Since 2008, Associated and member systems have invested more than $74 million to offer high-efficiency heat pump water heater rebates, commercial energy audits and a business lighting rebate program.
Left: New Madrid Power Plant’s Terry Kilgore (left) and Randall Briggs (right), assistant control room operators, are among the many Associated employees dedicated to generating responsible power supply.
Investing in rural economies benefits member communities
Affordable, reliable power supply is a catalyst for attracting regionwide economic growth. Doing all we can to showcase our home region – and benefits of doing business here – is a key role Associated plays for member systems.
Associated’s Power4Progress program provides resources to develop, lead or participate in activities that increase electric load and provide economic/community growth or sustainability within the service territory. Support includes key accounts, residential development loan programs, commercial development, USDA rural economic development loan assistance and more. Since 2023, the program’s initiatives have facilitated nearly $1 million in investments within our service territory.
Safety is the top priority
Generating electricity safely is an obligation Associated has to its members and local communities. In everything we do, safety is our foremost focus. In 2024, Associated’s safety culture shined as employees tied the cooperative’s all-time safety record, posting an OSHA Recordable Incident Rate (RIR) of 1.12, below the industry standard of 1.5.
Associated prioritizes reducing all employee injuries, with a special focus on soft tissue injuries, through a program called Safety in Motion and warn of complacency, rushing and fatigue with a Safe Start program. All employees complete multiple safety training sessions annually, and weekly meetings with employees identify hazards and communicate requirements, helping reduce the potential for injuries. Extra attention is also paid to tracking near-miss events, identifying and measuring the potential for serious injury or fatalities, for improvement.
When accidents occur, emergency response teams (ERT) at New Madrid Power Plant and Thomas Hill Energy Center are the unsung heroes of Associated. Twenty-five of these employees at both locations put their lives on the line to safeguard the people, plant operations and communities they call home. Members serve for three years and are forged through highly technical and extensive training, with several also serving as volunteer firefighters and sharing knowledge with local fire departments.
Associated further serves as a safety resource for member systems, helping member cooperatives comply with state and federal environmental, health and safety regulations like spill prevention, control and countermeasure plans, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl management), stormwater pollution prevention plans and land disturbance permits, air emissions from mobile/small sources and Tier II chemical reporting.
Workforce development, amplifying employee value
Associated’s more than 700 employees are the cooperative’s greatest asset. We leverage the talents and contributions of every individual, encouraging personal responsibility, teamwork and quick action for the benefit of members.
Top left: John West (right) and his granddaughter depend on reliable, affordable electricity to power their family farm as member-consumers of Callaway Electric Cooperative in mid-Missouri. Bottom left: Member trust begins with committed employees like Michelle Hopkins, warehouseman at New Madrid Power Plant, who has worked at Associated for more than 30 years.
Associated’s success begins with effective leadership programs that encourage the development of a diverse, inclusive workforce through training designed to build awareness of perceptions, biases and value of diversity. Leadership bench strength is enhanced by a talent review and succession planning process.
To help employees reach their fullest potential, Associated invests in training opportunities, individualized employee career planning and resources to help employees at work and in their personal lives. Listening to employee concerns and areas for improvement is also a priority. To monitor employee engagement, Associated launched a continuous listening survey program, which yielded a 74% participation rate in 2024 and ranked Associated in the top 10% of the Energy and Utilities category.
Best-in-class benefits are another vital element of Associated’s employee experience, attracting and retaining top talent. The cooperative’s holistic well-being initiative, EmPower, offers programs, resources and incentives to employees based on four dimensions of well-being: health, wellness, wealth and harmony. Other benefits include paid time off, medical leave, education assistance, parental leave, life insurance and health savings accounts.
To further support employees, Associated created employee resource groups based on shared characteristics or life experiences. WATT (Women Amplifying Their Talents) supports women looking to amplify their talents and build their careers. VOLT (Vets Organized to Learn Together) enhances the employee experience for veteran employee and job seekers. Associated’s employee assistance program (EAP) provides confidential resources, including support and counseling services to help employees and families resolve issues affecting the quality of life at home or work.
Giving back to local communities
Wherever they live and work, Associated and its employees give back to the communities we call home. Employee-led contributions committees review grant requests monthly and enable Associated to give back thousands of dollars to local charities. In 2024, Associated contributed more than $100,000 to over 50 nonprofit organizations for worthwhile efforts across our service territory.
Associated is also proud to be among the largest partners of United Way of the Ozarks, directly helping to improve the lives of thousands of children, adults and families through the services of their diverse member agencies. Associated was named the United Way of the Ozarks’ Corporate Humanitarian of the Year after employees raised nearly $90,000 for the charity in 2024.
Cooperatives recognize the power of volunteerism and the gift of time, too. Associated’s nonunion employees are awarded time off annually to volunteer for community nonprofits. Together, employees generously give time to grassroots efforts that benefit food banks, children’s hospitals, foster homes and other nonprofits helping those in need.
56% of member-consumers voted reliability the most important attribute of electricity in 2024 satisfaction survey
22% of member-consumers report a household income less than $50K, underscoring the importance of affordability
Top right: Lynette Myers, senior legal assistant at Headquarters, leads United Way of the Ozarks campaign efforts and was recognized as a Top 10 employee campaign manager by the United Way in 2024.
GOVERNANCE
6 G&T cooperative member-owners
51 local distribution cooperatives served
12 elected board members represent system
LED BY OUR MEMBERS-FIRST MISSION
Associated works diligently to serve our cooperative system, but with a distinct advantage: Our memberowners lead the company. Associated’s grassroots, bottom-up governance ensures member-consumers are represented in all decisions, one of the many benefits of being an electric cooperative member. Power supply – by members for members – is Associated’s greatest strength, ensuring reliable, affordable and responsible electricity is always prioritized.
Three-tiered structure serves member energy needs
The Associated system is a unique three-tiered system of electric cooperatives, united by the common purpose of serving member-consumers with reliable, affordable and responsible electricity.
The first tier is comprised of 51 local distribution cooperatives in Missouri, southern Iowa and northeast Oklahoma. These distribution cooperatives provide electric service directly to more than 935,000 member meters, including businesses, farms and households representing 2.1 million people.
At the second tier are the six regional G&T cooperative-owners responsible for transmitting power generated by Associated to the 51 distribution cooperatives. The G&Ts serve six geographical areas across the service area and oversee the operation, construction and maintenance of the high-voltage transmission system built by member investment.
In 1961, the G&Ts formed the system’s third tier with the creation of Associated, which was subsequently given responsibilities for generation and power procurement, leaving transmission as the primary responsibility of Associated’s six owner G&Ts.
Together, this collaborative system of G&Ts and distribution cooperatives brings efficiency through specialization to meet daily power needs. The entire threetiered system benefits from economies of scale and, since each tier can react quickly to changes, the overall competitiveness of the system is improved.
Left: Buster Geisendorfer, Associated board president and member of Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative, addresses members and key partners at Associated’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Branson, Missouri.
Member-led leadership guides Associated Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. Representatives (directors/trustees) are elected among the membership and are accountable to them. In distribution cooperatives, members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote); G&T cooperatives are organized in a democratic manner.
Associated’s six G&T cooperative-owners each send two directors to serve on the Associated board of directors, typically the G&T manager and a director from the G&T’s board. Associated’s board meets monthly with the executive team to review, discuss and approve issues. The board determines the strategic direction for Associated, tests the cooperative’s business strategy, approves key investment decisions and sets the wholesale power supply rate to ensure Associated meets its financial responsibilities and stays focused on its member-driven mission.
Our 12-member board is sized to act quickly to seize opportunities, assess risks and represent member-consumer interests. Board and management have proven their ability to quickly initiate and implement action to mitigate challenges. Enterprise risk management, including the key elements of environmental, social and governance priorities, are overseen by senior management and independent board committees.
Safeguarding cybersecurity, systems and facilities
Associated’s cybersecurity and physical security department leads a comprehensive effort to monitor physical and cyber threat activity 24/7, 365, with the ability to respond rapidly to threats.
Associated deploys industry best practices to assess risks and mitigate threats, including sophisticated endpoint detection and response tools on servers and workstations; strong physical and digital access control program audited on a routine basis; a quantitative and qualitative risk-based approach for measuring cyber risk; adherence to all federal Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) compliance regulations for both physical and cybersecurity; and regular maintenance of a comprehensive business continuity plan.
To better monitor and protect member cooperatives throughout the threetiered system, Associated established a cybersecurity umbrella program called Cyber Dome. A first-of-its-kind solution, Cyber Dome scaled Associated’s internal cybersecurity tools and operations center to also safeguard our
Top left: Larry Culwell (left), Associated board secretary and member of Kiamichi Electric Cooperative, puts boots on the ground at New Madrid Power Plant. Bottom left: Associated’s Cyber Dome team protects member systems with best-in-class cybersecurity tools and support operations.
member-owners, reducing cyber risk and offering sophisticated protection, detection and response capabilities to cooperatives at a fraction of the cost. The end goal: ensure safe, reliable, affordable power for member systems.
Culture of compliance
Associated participates in and is regulated by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), a not-for-profit international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the electric grid.
NERC develops and enforces reliability standards; annually assesses seasonal and long-term reliability; monitors the bulk power system through system awareness; and educates, trains and certifies industry personnel.
NERC’s area of responsibility spans the continental United States, Canada and the northern portion of Baja California, Mexico. NERC is the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) for North America, subject to oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and governmental authorities in Canada. NERC’s jurisdiction includes users, owners and operators of the bulk power system, which serves nearly 400 million people.
Commitment to transparent, ethical reporting
As part of its compliance activities, Associated has a well-earned reputation of responsiveness to regulatory authorities, industry groups, member-owners and the general public. Most importantly, Associated prioritizes transparent, ethical reporting and information-sharing.
Areas of special attention include NERC and OSHA filings, financial rating agency meetings with Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch, and comprehensive operational and annual reports with financial statements. Additionally, Associated regularly informs member systems with board meeting recaps, newsletters, financial/operational summaries and industry news.
Associated’s Annual Meeting of Members, held in Branson, Missouri, each summer, provides an in-person touchpoint to educate members, report on cooperative performance and conduct business on behalf of memberconsumers. Associated also visits member system cooperatives’ annual meetings across Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa to share information on members’ wholesale power supply and generation fleet.
10,288 miles of member-owned transmission, one of America’s largest integrated transmission systems
$3.7B in total member-owned assets in 2024, positioning Associated as one of the largest, highest-rated electric co-ops in the nation
Top right: Associated’s Accounting and Finance Division, supported by employees like Barb Economon, vice president, finance (center), Dhruvi Gheewala, financial analyst II (left) and Aaron Dennis, financial analyst II (right), ensure transparent and timely reporting of the cooperative’s financial performance.
Board of directors
Emery
Geisendorfer board president Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative
Executive leadership team
“Buster”
Doug Aeilts Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative
John Bledsoe board treasurer M&A Electric Power Cooperative
Larry Culwell board secretary KAMO Power
Ted Hilmes KAMO Power
John Killgore board vice president NW Electric Power Cooperative Inc.
Jason Marshall Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative
David McDowell NW Electric Power Cooperative Inc.
Lynn Thompson Central Electric Power Cooperative
Chris Turner Central Electric Power Cooperative
Dan Singletary Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative
John Singleton M&A Electric Power Cooperative
David Tudor CEO and general manager
Shawn Calhoun senior vice president and chief human resources officer
Roger Clark senior vice president and chief commercial officer
Chris Lazzaro senior vice president and chief information officer
Brian Prestwood senior vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer
Meredith Roberts senior vice president and chief financial officer
Scott Thompson senior vice president and chief operations officer
Joe Wilkinson senior vice president and chief member relations officer
