2024 District 7 Board Candidate Biographies

**Biographies are listed alphabetically and published as presented by Candidates**

Michelle Caird

In 2018, Michelle was appointed to the Valley Electric Association’s board of directors and successfully ran for reelection in 2021.  She is the current board president and chair of the Charitable Foundation board.  She represents Valley Electric on the Nevada Rural Electric Association’s board and is a member of the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association’s (NRECA) Director Advisory Group.  She is an NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director.  The Valley Electric staff and board of directors are working hard to resolve the issues of the past and continue to improve our cooperative’s financial position by reducing expenses.  Valley’s bankers, CFC and CoBank, have confidence in the management team and the board to make the decisions needed for financial stability.  Michelle has 22 years of electric cooperative board experience and understands the hard work needed to continue our success as a cooperative.

Kermit ‘Neal’ Owen

I would like to be a director to serve the membership of this organization through this position. A Coop is owned by its membership and the directors serve at the will of the people. The directors help guide the Coop forward and help keep it working smoothly. I have had experience with a co-op in Virginia as an employee for 18 years before moving to Pahrump and working at this co-op for several years before moving into a different line of work. I believe I can bring a perspective from having been employed in this field that would help lead this Coop into the future.