2022 Director Election

Official ballots were mailed the week of May 9th. There are three options for voting this year—returning paper ballots by mail, online voting, or voting at the annual meeting. Election results will be announced during the annual meeting. 

District 6 Candidates

Charlie Blixt

My wife Elaine and I have been married 44 years and have three adult children and seven grandchildren. I live in Friberg Township and have been a member of LREC for 37 years. I graduated from Augsburg College.

I have been employed 35 years with USI Insurance, formerly CHS Insurance, as an insurance broker providing commercial business insurance and business risk management services to large commercial agribusiness co-ops, petroleum co-ops, and private businesses. I work with co-op managers and boards. I also taught school and coached for 5 years.

I was on the Pelican Rapids School Board for 11 years, 2 of which I was president. I have served as president for two church councils, Trinity Lutheran Church in Pelican Rapids (current council member) and Tonseth Lutheran Church. In addition, I was the Pelican Rapids Scout Master for 10 years, helping more than 60 boys become Eagle Scouts.

Todd V.  Bladow

I have been married for 40 years and have two adult children and two granddaughters. I live on Jewett Lake. I was born in Breckenridge, MN and spent my early years on the family farm near Mantador, ND. I graduated from Fergus Falls High School and attended college at Northland Community College and the University of North Dakota.

I am retired after working 37 years at Cargill as the chief inspector/aircraft mechanic for corporate aircraft and at Ziegler Inc. as the director of maintenance of corporate aircraft. I’m a licensed pilot, aircraft mechanic, and inspector. In addition, I served on the City of Shakopee’s Planning Commission and held officer positions for Minnesota’s Corporate Maintenance Association and Business Aviation Association.

I enjoy leading and collaboration and have strong organizational and interpersonal skills. I will use my management and quality assurance experience to provide safe and healthy work environments, environmental sustainability, and effective operations.

District 3 and District 9 Director Bios

In  District 3 , Mike Brasel was nominated without opposition. In  District 9 , Gary Olson was also nominated without opposition. In accordance with Lake Region Electric Cooperative’s Bylaws, they are deemed elected by acclamation*.

Mike Brasel

I live outside of Perham in Corliss Township with my wife, Kim, and three boys. I was born and raised near Perham. My career started in the U.S. Navy as an electrician and operator aboard two nuclear powered ships serving for six years.

I earned my degree in Mechanical Engineering and furthered my education with a Masters in Business Administration. I worked for Dairyland Power Cooperative in La Crosse, WI for over 10 years where I held positions of Project Manager and Power Plant Manager.

I am currently the Director, Supply Chain Development at NuScale Power, responsible for supplier development and manufacturing of nuclear reactors, instrumentation and controls, and special lifting devices for new small modular nuclear power plants. I currently serve on the Perham Health Hospital District Board where I am on the Executive and Finance Committees and the Perham Health Foundation.

Gary Olson

Personal Details
I was born into a farm family and have farmed in the Parkers Prairie area most of my life. My wife and I have one grown son.

Schooling/Education
Graduate of Parkers Prairie High School; Associate Degree in carpentry, Alexandria AVTI

Community Involvement
First Lutheran Church, Parkers Prairie, active member, past council president; Lions Club, past president, active member; Parkers Prairie Hospital, board member; Prairie Pine Mutual Insurance Co., board president; Represented East Otter Tail in Red River Valley Emerging Leadership Program

Why I want to be a LREC Director
LREC has taken care of our family and farm electric needs for years and, more recently, our natural gas needs. I would like to use my trust in LREC and be of service to LREC as it makes decisions to generate energy in ways that are good for our members and our earth.

*Changes in annual meeting voting were made with the adoption of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws at the 2012 Annual Meeting. If no other candidates are nominated through the petition process, the unopposed candidates nominated at district meetings will be deemed elected by acclamation.