More than 2,380 members and guests attended Beltrami Electric Night at the Fair, where BEC held its 85th annual meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6. Board chair John Lund welcomed attendees to the meeting and introduced the cooperative board of directors. Three directors were elected to the board, which included incumbents, Murl Nord (District 1), Bob Wallner, (District 5), and Sue Kringen (District 8), and the 2024 annual meeting minutes were approved by a majority vote of the members.

The meeting agenda included a financial update from Director of Finance and Corporate Services, Arlene Hogquist, as well as a cooperative update from President and CEO, Jared Echternach.  Communications Specialist Angela Lyseng, presented on the success of the BEC’s Operation Round Up program in our local communities. Beltrami Electric’s Youth Tour Delegate for 2025, Anika Harmsen, spoke about her experience in Washington, D.C. (Read her story on page 4). Many fairgoers enjoyed the beautiful and fun evening as well as the free concert in the grandstand featuring Figuring It Out, the Abello Family Acoustics Band.

Families and children took part in a variety of activities. Touchstone Energy’s friendly mascot, LED Lucy, greeted attendees, while young adventurers enjoyed the unique experience of going up in the bucket of a BEC line truck for a bird’s-eye view of the fairgrounds. For the smallest of members, the duck pond was a hit as toddlers and young children delighted in picking a duck to win a prize. The live high-voltage safety demonstration drew a captivated crowd, offering a striking visual reminder of the importance of electrical safety as voltage arcs flashed before their eyes.

With community, education, and connection at the heart of the celebration, the 85th annual meeting reflected Beltrami Electric’s enduring commitment to serving its members and building a brighter future together.