The service area of Lorain-Medina Rural Electric is divided into nine districts, each with a member elected representative. Each district has one elected candidate to represent all of the members of that district for a term of three years. Board district map and district descriptions.
Members wanting to vie for the cooperative's board of directors must submit a nominating petition bearing at least 25 signatures from their respective districts. A maximum of two candidates per district can appear on the official ballot. Should more than two district candidates submit nominating petitions, a runoff district-wide election will be conducted in May. The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the district will have their names placed on the official ballot. The entire membership votes on candidates through mail/electronic ballot before the annual meeting. The results of the election will be announced at the annual meeting in July. View the director nomination and election schedule.
The Board of Directors meets monthly. They are responsible for setting the cooperative's policies and rates, approving contracts, and regularly reviewing the operating performance of the cooperative and its appointed management. As representatives of the rural community, they communicate the interests of the cooperative's membership.
Chair: Rodney L. "John" Eaton - District 4
Vice Chair: Gary L. Rowland - District 1
Secretary: Brenda J. Wolfe - District 7
Treasurer: Keith E. Lowe - District 8
Gary L. Rowland - District 1
Director/Vice Chair
26175 State Route 511
Wellington, OH 44090
Phone: 440-315-2532
E-mail: growland@fesco-oh.org
Rowland has been a Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative director since 1978. He was the chair of the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative Board of Directors from August 1997 to August 2003 and has served as vice chair since 2003. Rowland represents Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative as a director on the Buckeye Power Board of Directors. Rowland received his NRECA Board Leadership Certificate in 2007 and his NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in 1998. An interesting fact about Rowland is that he married his wife Jane Rowland, and together they had three children.
OCCUPATION: President, Harry Rowland Jr., Inc., Rochester, OH
James R. McConnell - District 2
Director
17567 Hallauer Road
Wellington, OH 44090
Phone: 440-775-3352
E-mail: jmcconnell@fesco-oh.org
McConnell has been a Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative director since 1997. He served as secretary of the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative Board of Directors, a position he held from August 2013- 2018. McConnell represents Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative as a director on the Ohio Rural Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. He received his NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in 2005.
OCCUPATION: Self-employed farmer, Hickory Grove Farms, Inc., Pittsfield Township; Past-President, Lorain County Rural Wastewater District (LORCO)
Ken J. Diedrick - District 3
Director
12217 Diagonal Road
LaGrange, OH 44050
Phone: 440-668-8396
E-mail: kdiedrick@fesco-oh.org
Diedrick joined the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative board in 2022 after serving on the board previously for 36 years. He has earned his NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate and has previously served as chair of the board during his previous tenure. Mr. Diedrick enjoys spending time with his family.
OCCUPATION: Self-employed farmer
Rodney L. "John" Eaton - District 4
Director/Chair
48401 Bursley Road
Wellington, OH 44090
Phone: 440-213-8001
E-mail: reaton@fesco-oh.org
Eaton was re-elected to the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative board in 1999 after serving on the cooperative's board from 1984 to 1996. He served as the board's secretary from 1999 to 2013 and has served as board chair since 2013. He earned his NRECA Board Leadership Certificate in 2003 and his NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in 2001. Mr. Eaton enjoys golfing and hunting.
OCCUPATION: Farmer
Judy A. Pickworth - District 5
Director
14701 Whitehead Road
LaGrange, OH 44050
Phone: 440-355-6518
E-mail: jpickworth@fesco-oh.org
Pickworth was elected to the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative board in July 2006. She received the NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in 2007 and later received her NRECA Board Leadership Certificate, as well as the Director Gold Certificate. Pickworth has been involved in the county 4-H program for 31 years and has taught school for 28 years. She enjoys sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking, and spending time with her family.
OCCUPATION: Farmer and retired teacher
Joe Swinko - District 6
Director
9190 Crow Road
Litchfield, OH 44253
Phone: 330-772-6242
E-mail: jswinko@fesco-oh.org
Swinko filled the District 6 seat vacated by Roy Norris, in October 2018. He was elected to the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative board in 2019. Swinko received the NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate. In his free time, he enjoys operating his family-owned Christmas Tree farm that they started in the spring of 2021.
OCCUPATION: Owner of Litchfield Accounting Service Inc.
Brenda J. Wolfe - District 7
Director/Secretary
381 Township Road 581
Sullivan, Ohio 44880
Phone: (440) 371-6438
E-mail: bwolfe@fesco-oh.org
Wolfe from Sullivan Township was appointed to the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative Board of Directors in 2015. She currently serves as secretary of the Board, and she received the NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate. In her free time, she enjoys riding the motorcycle with her husband (as a passenger), camping, and making jewelry and crafts.
OCCUPATION: Administrative Services Manager for the law firm of Wickens Herzer Panza Co. in Avon.
Keith E. Lowe - District 8
Director/Treasurer
11195 Spencer Mills Road
Spencer, OH 44275
Phone: 330-620-0617
E-mail: klowe@fesco-oh.org
Lowe was elected to the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative board in 1997. He currently serves as the board's treasurer, a position he has held since 1999. He earned his NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in 2003.
OCCUPATION: Owner, KEL Nutrition.
Rick Dumperth - District 9
Director
6790 Rice Road
Spencer, OH 44275
Phone: (330-815-7413)
E-mail: rdumperth@fesco-oh.org
Dumperth was elected to the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative board in 2022. Recently retired from Wolff Bros. Supply after a 42 year career, Dumperth enjoys spending his free time hunting, fishing, camping, traveling, and outdoors with his grandsons. He also serves on several non-profit boards for local organizations.
OCCUPATION: Chatham Twp. Trustee