Board of Directors

Contact Number: 218-835-6535

Originally from Bemidji, Murl graduated from Bemidji High School. He attended Bemidji State University, graduating with degrees in biology and chemistry. Murl and his wife, Sue, owned and operated a dairy farm for 30 years and he now farms with his daughter, Rachel, grazing beef cattle. Murl served 17 years on the Land O’ Lakes corporate board, where he held the office of first vice president for five years and served on the executive committee for 10 years. Murl also served eight years on the national Milk Producers Association board, three years on the Minnesota Association of Cooperatives board and 25 years on the Blackduck School Board. He was also one of the early organizers of the Blackduck Co-op. He resides in Hornet Township in Beltrami County and has two grown children and four grandchildren. He was first elected to the Beltrami Electric Board in 2010 and currently serves as secretary. Murl also serves on the Square Butte Board of Directors.

“I am a life-long supporter of cooperatives as a way of doing business. I believe my experience on other boards has given me a knowledge base that allows me to understand the workings of BEC. I also have had numerous lobbying opportunities that are beneficial as our co-op faces many new government policy issues. I have worked to continue my education in the broad area of electrification and recently became the first BEC director to receive the Board Leadership Certificate."

Contact Number: 218-679-2190

Charlie is a lifelong resident of Red Lake. He is a maintenance worker at the Red Lake Hospital, where he performs preventative HVAC maintenance, as well as various electrical work on items such as generators, high voltage circuits, power meters, etc. He is a graduate of Red Lake High School and completed the 2-year carpentry program at the Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Detroit Lakes, MN. He also attended Bemidji State University for Industrial Technology. Charlie enjoys spending time with his three children and two grandchildren. He also enjoys hiking, camping and target shooting.

“I am proud to continue in my family’s footsteps, extending our commitment to the members of Beltrami Electric Cooperative. I have served on the Beltrami Electric Board for three years, My sister, Lea Perkins, has served on the board for twelve years, and previously my father, Ed Perkins, served on the board for eight years. I am passionate about my community, family and friends. I am able to utilize my 30+ years of knowledge and electrical experience to help educate and explain energy usage to our members. I will continue to work hard for the members of the cooperative, providing reliable and affordable electric service to our area.”

Contact number: 218-766-4662

Kevin graduated from Blackduck High School and holds a BS in Business Administration from Bemidji State University. After serving four years in the U.S. Navy, he spent 31 years with AgCountry Farm Credit Services, providing credit and financial services to rural communities and farmers. "I feel privileged to have worked for a farmer-owned co-op. I have experience in short-term and long-term planning and finance," said Kevin. Kevin and his wife, Shelly, have two sons and two grandchildren. I enjoy reading, hunting, golfing, fishing, and spending time on the lake with family. He has served on the Wilton City Council and the Bemidji Town & Country Club board.

"I believe we need to find a sustainable and cost-efficient balance between fossil fuels and renewable energy. I am eager to learn more about various energy generation methods, including wind, solar, water, nuclear, and coal, as I think all have roles to play in maintaining affordable energy for homes and businesses. I am a strong supporter of the cooperative business model and am dedicated to assisting Beltrami Electric in its continued success," said Kevin.

Contact Number: 218-586-5003

Craig has lived in the Bemidji area his entire life, of which the past 20 years have been in Port Hope Township.  He has been a regional account manager with North Country Business Products of Bemidji for more than 26 years.  Craig is a graduate of Bemidji State University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, along with a secondary education licensure.  He also holds a power-limited technician license. He has served as supervisor of the Port Hope Township Board for 12 years.  Craig was a Ducks Unlimited committee member for 10 years, serving in many roles, including treasurer.  He also serves on the Bemidji Rural Animal Control Organization (BRACO) board, which is a group formed by townships to manage animal control outside of the city limits.  Craig is currently a Beltrami County Commissioner, representing District 1. Craig and his wife Karen have two sons, James and Jonathon. He is an avid walleye fisherman and enjoys hunting, fishing and traveling. 

“I take responsibility seriously. That means I show up on time or early for meetings, having studied the material ahead of time to make informed decisions in the best interests of our members. I have served over three years on the BEC board and have only missed one board meeting. I genuinely care about the people and the area we live and I look forward to continuing to serve you, the members of the cooperative. I will work to keep our mission statement as my directive: To provide excellent value to our members through the safe delivery of reliable electric service, excellent member service and innovative energy solutions at fair and reasonable prices.”

Contact Number: 218-835-6579

A member of Beltrami Electric for 42 years, Robert Wallner has been a general practice attorney in Bemidji for 41 years and raised beef cattle with his family for 36. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and business from Bemidji State University and followed that with a law degree from William-Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minn. He and his wife Roxy have five children and 4 grandchildren. In his spare time, Robert enjoys hunting, fishing and trapping, along with harvesting wild rice and collecting maple syrup. He also participates on the Bemidji Sr. Hockey team and enjoys working with his livestock and training his Labrador retrievers. Robert also serves on Moose Lake Town Board.

“My experience operating a small business, along with my partners, involved long and short range planning, meeting payrolls, managing accounts receivable/payable, budgeting for business operations, and dealing with employee relations. My experience with our cattle operation has taught me the importance of having a strong electrical coop to depend on.  The last six years on the BEC board of directors, along with the Board Education classes I have attended, have helped me to understand the electric business in general, and our co-op specifically.”

Contact Number: 218-751-9695

Rick has lived in the Bemidji Area for 47 years and resides in Northern Township. He has been a member of Beltrami Electric for more than 37 years.  Rick retired from the Bemidji Public Schools where he was employed as a teacher, counselor and coach. Coe has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and general science and holds a Master of Science degree in guidance counseling from Bemidji State University.  For 31 years he coached all levels of youth hockey and baseball and has also served as a board member with these sports.  Rick has been active in various committees within the Bemidji community and at his church. Rick is also a member of the Knights of Columbus and has served on the KC board. He has served on BEC's board for District 6 since 2008 and served as the board chair from 2011-2020.  He and his wife, Mickie, have three grown children and three grandchildren.

“I have served as a Director of Beltrami Electric Cooperative for 12 years. I also serve as a Director on the Minnkota Board (our generation and transmission co-op) and the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA-our statewide co-op).  I have gained a great deal of knowledge and experience from serving on these Boards.  I care about our members and feel they deserve great service not only from BEC, but especially from the Board of Directors. I promise to be visible and reachable to serve BEC's members to the best of my ability. 

Contact Number: 218-751-2784

John is a lifelong resident of the Bemidji area with a BS in Industrial Technology from Bemidji State University. Staying active physically, mentally, and spiritually is important to me. Over the years, he has served on church boards and councils; completed two terms on the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners and has been on Beltrami Electric’s board of directors for 12 years, currently as the board chair.

John has completed three NRECA training programs: the Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate, the Board Leadership Certificate, and the Director Gold Certificate. These programs cover the evolving electric industry and the responsibilities of being an effective board member.

"My primary focus is to ensure we continue providing affordable and reliable electricity to our members while keeping our balance sheet strong. As we integrate new technologies like solar, wind, battery storage, and electric vehicles (EVs), it is crucial to maintain coal-fired baseload generation and incorporate carbon capture to ensure reliability. I am committed to balancing innovation with stability, ensuring our cooperative can meet future energy demands while maintaining excellent service for our members," said John.

Contact Number: 218-333-0859

A native of Bemidji, Sue received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Bemidji State University. She retired from Riverwood Bank of Bemidji where she served as the director of sales and marketing. Prior to that, Sue served as director of alumni relations and senior director of development for the Bemidji State University Foundation. Sue also served as the first full time executive director of the United Way of the Bemidji Area.  She has served on the boards of directors for the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce, Bemidji Youth Hockey, Bemidji Gymnastics Club, the Salvation Army, the Bemidji Rotary Club, Lakeland Public Television and the United Way of Bemidji Area.  Sue has been a member of Beltrami Electric for 40 years.  She has served on BEC's board for District 8 since 2016 and currently serves as the vice chair. She and her husband Curt, reside in Fern Township in Beltrami County. They have two grown children and two grandchildren.

“It has been a true honor and privilege to serve on the Board of Directors for Beltrami Electric Co-op over the past three years.  I have and will continue to challenge and educate myself on issues and opportunities relating to governing and guiding YOUR electric cooperative and I take great pride in now being certified as a Credentialed Cooperative Director."

Contact Number: 218-224-2254

Sharon has been a cooperative member for 45 years and lives in the Laporte area. She holds a BS in Elementary Education, an MS in School Administration with minors in English and Psychology, and a Specialist/6th-Year Degree in School Administration. Her career includes roles as a teacher, elementary school principal, school administrator, and interim superintendent. Sharon enjoys music and plays bass guitar with a couple of groups and an acoustic guitar in church.

Sharon is passionate about volunteering, serving at her church, the Laporte Food Shelf, Legion Auxiliary, Bone Builders, as an election judge for Hart Lake Township, and prior to serving on the BEC board, she volunteered on the Beltrami Electric Cooperative Trust Board for Operation Round Up®, where she served as president for five years. She has also served on the Riverview Hospital board in Crookston, Minn., and volunteered on two church boards.

"I believe preserving our environment in the lakes area and beyond is crucial. Additionally, I am committed to improving our energy usage and ensuring that electricity remains affordable and reliable for the members of Beltrami Electric Cooperative," said Sharon.