Board Nominees

All candidates have been interviewed and vetted by the Cooperative’s Nominating Committee. Each candidate was also asked to provide a biography for the membership and include why they should be elected. They are printed as received.

Jenny WHORTON

For the past 6 years I have had the privilege to serve All Members as WRVEC District-A Director. I have had the opportunity and responsibility in serving as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President and currently as President. Our mission is to “Provide safe, reliable, and affordable power – while enhancing the lives of those we serve” and I continually strive do that.

I am immensely proud of all the achievements we have made in the time I have been a Director. We have improved financially, by working hard with the CEO and Staff to find ways to account for all expenses. Since 2016 our member equity has gone from 39.34% to 47.74% and we have paid over eighteen million dollars in capital credits.

Transparency and member engagement is better than EVER. Within the last 6 years we have added the Members Only Portal, the Member Alliance Program, began posting Board Summaries on the WRVEC website and released our first Annual Report.

Commitment to community has also drastically increased as we are always looking for ways to better our communities in which we live and serve. WRVEC recently conducted a Broadband Feasibility Study to see how we can help bring high speed internet to our members.

While serving on the board, I have spent many hours in the classroom staying current with laws and changes so I can best serve in my position. For the last 3 years I have had the honor of representing WRVEC on a National Committee through NRECA – Director Advisory Group

I am committed to provide safe, reliable, and affordable power to our members and I feel working together to enhance our community is essential.

I am proud to represent WRVEC members and would love to continue to serve, as there is much more to accomplish.

Thank you for your support!

Stoney hays

My name is Stoney Hays. Born and raised in Ft. Smith, Arkansas and a proud graduate of University of the Ozarks! I’ve been in Stone County since 2015 when I moved back to the Ozarks to become the CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs in the area. My entire adult 32 year career has been with the Clubs starting in Kansas City, Omaha, Nebraska, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

My nonprofit experience and extensive background in community development would benefit the members of the Cooperative. My passion is advocating on behalf of those who don’t have a voice, especially children of working parents. If elected, I will use my platform in the community to ensure everyone’s opinion is heard and shared.

Lyle Rowland

Lyle is a graduate of Forsyth High School, University of Missouri-Columbia, and Missouri State University. He holds a BS, MEd (Agriculture Education), and a Specialist in Educational Administration. He taught Vocational Agriculture for 11 years and was Principal/Superintendent for 20 years at Taneyville.

He is the recipient of the FFA Blue and Gold Award, Outstanding Rural Administrator, Missouri K-8 School Superintendent of the Year, and MASA Outstanding Emeritus Educator award.

Lyle is a member of the Taneyville New Beginnings Church, NRA, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Missouri Cattleman Association.

He is a 5th generation native who resides in Cedarcreek with his wife Glenda on the family farm. They raise beef cattle. They have two daughters, Holly and Laura, seven grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

Lyle was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2010 and served 8 years for the 155th district (Douglas, Ozark and Taney Counties).

He was elected in 2019 to the White River Valley Electric board where he has served for the past 3 years. He has obtained the Director Gold Certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Lyle believes that he has made a positive contribution to the existing Board and currently serves as chairman of the Bylaw, Governance and Engagement Committee. He looks forward to continuing his tenure in directing the mission and vision of White River Valley Electric Cooperative.

Robert “bob” keller

Although I am a Kansas native, I have called Branson, Missouri my home for nearly 30 years. I attended St. Mary’s/Colgan High School in Pittsburg and graduated from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology. My professional career started with McNally Pittsburg Inc. with 15 years in management positions building power plants/industrial projects throughout the United States. In 1990, I began working for Larry Snyder and Company, building numerous projects in Branson and southwest Missouri which led to our move in 1993.

My wife, Debbie, taught at College of the Ozarks for 19 years and served on the Branson School Board for over 10 years prior to her passing. My daughter, son, and grandson all graduated from Branson High School. My oldest son is a Senior Project Manager for Crossland Construction and his wife Nicole Wallace Keller is an assistant principal in Carl Junction, Missouri. My youngest son lives in Grove City, Ohio with his wife and two children and is starting his third-year surgical residency.

Throughout my career, I held various management positions and retired as CEO in 2020 after 30+ years. I have experience in budgets, profit-loss statements, accounting, cost controls, computer systems, and various upper management responsibilities/roles. I bring a tremendous amount of management experience, along with real-life work experiences.

I have also been active in the community by participating in the Branson/Hollister Rotary Club and I served on the Central Bank Advisory Board. For the past 17 years, I have served on the Branson Board of Adjustment and am currently chairperson. I am a member of Our Lady of the Lake Church. I enjoy boating and fishing on our area lakes, hunting, and watching my grandkids play sports.

I respectfully ask for your vote to continue making WRVEC a great company!

JIM KYLE

Jim has been on the White River Valley Electric Co-op Board since 2019 and currently serves as a member of the Bylaw, Governance and Engagement Committee. Jim is a lifelong resident of Ozark County MO, was born and raised in Isabella MO and is a 1961 graduate of Gainesville High School. He and his wife Mary have 3 children and 14 grandchildren.

Jim earned a BS Degree in Agriculture from Southwest Missouri State College in 1966. He joined the US Navy in 1966 and was later detached to the US Marine Corps in 1968. While serving as corpsman in Vietnam 1968-1969, he was awarded The Bronze Star with Combat V and The Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, “By his courage, resolute determination and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger”.

In 2015, he retired from the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency with 32 years of service. Jim worked 28 of those years as a District Director southern region of Missouri. He was self-employed as owner of Kyle Feed and Fertilizer for 10 years. Jim was also an instructor for the Veterans’ Agriculture Program serving the Cabool, Forsyth, and Gainesville MO communities.

Locally, he is active in his community as well. He was Chairman of the Ozark County Soil and Water Board and member of the University Extension Board. Jim serves on the Piland Youth Camp Board, and as pastor of Romance General Baptist Church.

Jim has only the best interest of the cooperative employees and members. He looks forward to continue serving as a board member and making positive contributions to the existing board of directors.