RushShelby Energy Linemen Compete in the Fourth Annual Indiana Electric Cooperatives Lineman Rodeo
Eight linemen from RushShelby Energy proudly represented the cooperative at the Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo, held August 21–22 in Danville. The two-day competition highlighted the skills, safety practices, and dedication of electric cooperative linemen across the state.
RushShelby Energy fielded one team along with five individual competitors who tested their abilities in events such as pole climbing, hurt-man rescue, and the safe replacement of electric line hardware. In total, this year’s rodeo brought together 35 teams and 131 individual participants from 26 Indiana electric cooperatives.
Representing RushShelby Energy were:
Journeymen Linemen - Nate Best, Brandon McQueen, Chris Pile
Apprentice Linemen – Gage Back, Daniel Howard Jr, Luke Sullenbarger
Staking Technician – Jaylin Brown
Groundman B – Brady Woeste
“We’re proud of the RushShelby Energy linemen who competed in this year’s rodeo,” said John Herbert, Line Superintendent. “Our linemen take great pride in their work, and this event gave them the chance to showcase their skills, training and commitment to safety.”
The Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo is designed to recognize and reward excellence in safety, skill, and knowledge within the lineworker profession. Full results from the 2025 competition can be found at goiec.org/INLinemanRodeo.
Careers in Energy Week - October 20-24
For 89 years, RushShelby Energy has proudly powered our communities. Behind every light switch and every meter are more than 40 dedicated employees working together to deliver safe, reliable electricity. Running a cooperative takes more than linemen - it takes a wide range of skills and people who care about serving their neighbors.
Our Member Service Representatives are often the first faces and voices members see or hear. They greet members, process payments and answer questions with kindness and professionalism. Many employees begin in this role and grow into new careers within the co-op.
The Billing and Accounting teams work behind the scenes to ensure accuracy and stability. With more than 15,000 meters in our system, billing specialists keep accounts balanced and help members with budget or prepaid billing options. Accountants manage finances, create budgets, and prepare reports that guide the cooperative's future.
The Marketing, Member Services and Technology departments keep members connected and informed. Whether it's answering questions about rebates, designing newsletters, updating our website or maintaining our internal IT network, these employees make sure information flows smoothly.
Our Engineers plan and design the system that powers our communities. They forecast future electrical needs, design for growth and work closely with members preparing for new services. And of course, our Linemen are the heart of what we do. Through the four-year H.E.A.T.S. (Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship Training and Safety) Program, linemen complete more than 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, a year of course-work provided by Ivy Tech and numerous additional classroom trainings from Hoosier Energy. By the end of the four-year term, the new Journeymen Linemen have a very specialized skill set and are prepared to successfully continue their careers with the cooperative.
The careers described above are certainly not all of the options we have for our cooperative. We have many wonderful careers that our employees can be proud to hold. While RushShelby Energy may not always have open positions, opportunities can be found across Indiana. If you or someone you know is looking for meaningful work close to home, explore current openings and learn more about the cooperative culture at WePowerIndiana.org.
Back in 2017, we shared a story on careers in energy featuring some of our employees' kids. Fast forward a few years, and those kids are now busy teens and young adults, each with their own interests and goals. We thought it would be fun to do a little 'where are they now' update and let you see what they've been up to since.
Mia - Age 5 • Carlie - Age 7
Daughters of Jessica Boger
Taylor - Age 6
Daughter of Lance Sparks
Brody - Age 5
Son of Justin Walton
Olive - Age 5
Daughter of Warren Shuppert
Mia Boger - Age 13
Carlie Boger - Age 15
Mia enjoys working out and Carlie enjoys riding 4 wheelers and driving her car. Both girls enjoy their mom's coworkers.
Taylor Sparks - Age 15
Taylor enjoys cheerleading, being with family and friends, baking and photography. Her favorite memory is petting a penguin at the annual meeting.
Brody Walton - Age 14
Brody enjoys all things soccer, music and hanging out with his friends. His favorite part of being a co-op kid was attending the annual meetings and helping to clean up afterwards.
Olive Shuppert - Age 14
Olive loves live music, collecting vinyl records, swimming and art. Her favorite memory of being a cooperative kid was attending Camp Kilowatt.
Thea Kinder - Age 13
Miles Kinder - Age 12
Thea enjoys doing anything that involves being outside and around water. She loves to be involved in school activities and playing volleyball and softball.
Miles enjoys doing anything outside. His main interests are working on his grandpa's farm, fishing, riding dirt bikes and playing sports.
Both enjoy coming to the annual meeting to have fun and get Chick-fil-A and ice cream.
Isabella Labrie - Age 10
Isabella enjoys golf, basketball, watching the Indiana Fever and Student Council. Her favorite co-op memory was bucket truck rides at the RSE annual meeting.
Isabella - Age 2 Daughter of Janet Labrie
Miles - Age 3
Thea - Age 5 Children of SamKinder
We are excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Planner Contest! With an overwhelming number of entries submitted, we are grateful to everyone who shared their creative talents with us.
This year’s grand prize winner is Randall Gibson, whose striking photo of storm clouds over his tractor captured the top spot. Randall’s winning entry will be featured on the cover of the 2026 Planner, and he has received a $250 bill credit.
2026 Planners, Pocket Calendars and Farmers' Almanacs will be available in our office the week of Thanksgiving!
In addition, the following participants earned honorable mentions. Their photos will be featured as monthly covers in the 2026 Electrawatt publication, and each will receive a $50 bill credit:
Congratulations to all our winners - and thank you again to everyone who participated in making this year's contest such a success!
Victor Bedel
Terri Bodine
Mark Havens Victoria Marsden
Dick Miller
Laura Moorman
Erin Norris Randy Powell
Linda Richmond Brian Roberts
Sam Warren Jerry Wiley
Quick Links
Employee and Board of Director Milestones
This month, RushShelby Energy is proud to celebrate two very special milestones.
Robert Stroup, District 6 representative on the Board of Directors, is marking 35 years of service. His leadership, vision and commitment to the cooperative have played a vital role in guiding RushShelby Energy over the decades.
Lisa Boaz, Administrative Assistant, is celebrating 25 years with RushShelby Energy. Lisa's dedication, professionalism and support have made a lasting impact on both our employees and members.
Employee Promotions
Congratulations, Hannah & Courtney!
Hannah Berger has been promoted to Billing Coordinator. Hannah has been a part of the billing department for nearly three years and continues to do an outstanding job.
Courtney Mendoza, a dedicated member of the RushShelby team for the past 12 years, has accepted the Marketing/Communications Coordinator position and will officially assume the role beginning in January.
MINI-MEMBER PUZZLE
Co-op Month Word Search
Did you know October is National Co-op Month?
Read the following facts to learn how co-ops are unique, then find and circle the bold words in the puzzle.
Fun Facts about Co-ops:
• Co-ops and their members work together toward a common goal.
• Co-ops are local organizations, so they understand the communities they serve.
• All co-ops operate according to the same set of seven cooperative principles.
• Concern for community is the seventh cooperative principle.
• Co-ops don't serve customers; instead, they serve members.
• Co-ops are lead by the local members they serve.
