Falcon, CO – Mountain View Electric Association, Inc.’s 79th Annual Meeting of Members was held virtually on June 4. One highlight of the meeting was the Director Election. 2 seats were open for election, representing District 2 and District 7. This year, incumbent Rick Gordon was re-elected to District 2. The race for the District 7 seat was between incumbent Donna Andersen-Van Ness and candidate Jim Riggins.
After serving MVEA members for 11 years, Donna Andersen-Van Ness is passing on the baton of District 7 Board Director to Jim Riggins. Since she was elected in 2009, Donna has played an integral role in retiring capital credits, balancing rate adjustments, and supporting increased member engagement. She was also dedicated to pursuing specialized training and education through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to better serve MVEA members. In the fall of 2017 (and again this year), she earned the Director Gold certificate, the pinnacle of NRECA’s Board Director education program.
Riggins is excited to be a new board member and is looking forward to working quickly toward professional board certifications and credentials.
“My highest priority is to have a robust grid and reliable energy. I think it is important for MVEA to keep pace with the changing energy market and reap the benefits of cheaper, cleaner, more rate-stable renewable energy, while promoting energy efficiency and demand-side management. A strategic vision that prepares for the growing rate of building and vehicle electrification in Colorado will benefit all MVEA members,” Riggins said.
Riggins holds master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering, Military Art and Science, and National Security Strategy. He is a Senior Executive Fellow from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.
Riggins retired after 30 years in the US Air Force, serving as a research engineer, pilot, operational planner, and weapon systems programmer. He also served as an operations group commander, and vice wing commander. He is a retired small business owner as a Home Energy Rater and Professional Building Analyst, providing consulting to builders and architects on energy efficient building construction and residential and commercial energy audits. Riggins and his wife, Elise, live in a net-zero energy house they designed.
Gordon has been an MVEA Board Member since 1992. He currently serves on the Building and Facilities, Annual Meeting, Policy, Wage & Salary, Budget and Audit Committees. He is also President and Chairman of Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Inc. Board of Directors and past president, Big Sandy School Board. He also served three years on the Farm Agents Advisory Council of the Farmer Alliance Mutual Insurance Company, and is a past member of the National Farm and Crop Insurance Technical Committee for Independent Insurance Agents of America as well as a past board member of the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Colorado.
“I feel we need to continue to provide Mountain View Electric Association members with reliable, affordable, responsible electricity,” Gordon said. “Keeping our rates as reasonable as possible while maintaining the high reliability expected of our member-owners will continue to be a major challenge as we go forward in light of existing public policy debate. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to look for ways to continually improve energy efficiency and conservation along with the use of affordable renewable energy sources. These issues, along with many others facing MVEA, continue to be increasingly more diverse and complex.”
Gordon graduated from Simla High School and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy from Colorado State University in 1975. He owns and operates Gordon Insurance, an independent insurance agency with offices in Limon, Calhan, Flagler, and Sterling.
MVEA Members Elect Rick Gordon and Jim Riggins to Board of Directors (PDF)