Corn Belt Power Cooperative
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November 2020 | Volume 69 | Number 11
Corn Belt Power begins NRECA’s RC3 program
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s the electric utility industry evolves, so do the threats that face it. Jon Myer, one of Corn Belt Power’s information technology administrators, calls the cyber security threat one of the more dangerous the utility industry faces. “It’s a very real threat,” he says. “It’s actualized all the time, specifically against electric utilities.” This fall, Corn Belt Power and electric cooperatives across the state of Iowa began to take part in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Rural Cooperative Cybersecurity Capabilities Program (RC3). NRECA began RC3 in July 2016 after receiving funding from the Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. The program will offer online education, training materials and vulnerability assessment tools; reduced-cost access to cybersecurity training programs; and increased opportunities for information sharing and to participate in RC3’s cybersecurity research efforts. Last year, the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives convened an RC3 committee. Iowa’s three generation and transmission cooperatives began the program’s self-assessment earlier this fall. “The program helps us identify our assets, detect threats and vulnerabilities and secure our physical security,” he said. “This program is going to allow us to be in line with industry standards and best practices.” Identifying threats is just one piece of the RC3 project. “We’re finding that we have a lot of the infrastructure in place, however, an organization's job is never finished when dealing with cyber threats,” Myer said.
Cyber Security Above | Jon Myer, IT administrator, Corn Belt Power, reviews the co-op's Axio cyber security management dashboard following a group conference call with distribution co-op IT administrators. Myer says cyber security is one of the biggest threats facing the electric utility industry. Corn Belt Power began the NRECA’s Rural Cooperative Cyber Security (RC3) program earlier this year.
“Ultimately, we’re going to be able to protect our systems with enhanced firewalls. Corn Belt Power is going to be able to better detect potential threats and learn how to respond to those threats.” In the early stages of the project, Myer says he and his Corn Belt Power IT colleagues Dennis Anderson, IT adminstrator, and Kevin Hapes, applications support specialist, are learning a lot. “It’s been beneficial in showing us where we stand within the current threat landscape,” he said. “So far, it’s helped us develop a plan and a way forward.”
Collaboration with Corn Belt Power’s distribution member-cooperatives is key to the success of the program. “We’ve been in open communication with our distribution systems on the process,” he said. “It’s mutually beneficial for us to establish secure connections within our own systems.” Corn Belt Power will continue with its self-assessment before receiving its initial findings. Axio, an integrated cyber risk management company, has been contracted by Iowa’s electric cooperatives to facilitate the program.
Hengelvig serving with Iowa National Guard
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n November, we honor veterans. Corn Belt Power thanks the many who have served our country. We are also mindful of those who continue to serve. One serving right now is Corn Belt Power’s own Howard Henkelvig. Henkelvig is a journeyman lineman based out of the co-op’s Emmetsburg location. Henkelvig, a nine-year member of the Iowa National Guard, left in August and will return following his 400-day service order. “This is my first deployment,” he said. “It’s just something I want to do. A year ago, we found out this was a possibility.
We’ve been training and getting in the right mindset ever since.” Henkelvig drills with his National Guard unit in Spencer. Before deployment overseas, Henkelvig says his group will train in Fort Bliss, Tex. and Fort Sill, Okla. Before leaving, he said he’d miss his family and friends the most. “I worry about my family more than I do myself,” he said. “My parents are glad I get to go but nervous at the same time. I would like to thank everyone at Corn Belt Power for their continued support. I’m looking forward to returning next year.” Corn Belt Power wishes for Henkelvig and his team’s safe return and we thank them for their service.
Dickey selected for Leadership Iowa program
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orty leaders from across Iowa graduated from the program since it have been selected as members started in 1982. of the 2020-21 class “It’s more important than of Leadership Iowa and ever to recognize the role Corn Belt Power’s Brittany our state’s leaders have in Dickey is one of them. developing solutions,” said Mike Ralston, president of ABI and Dickey, the 1991 graduate of Leadership cooperative’s development Iowa. “For the past 38 years, finance director, has Leadership Iowa has provided served Corn Belt Power them with the resources to make members for the last 13 our great state even better.” years. She applied for the Brittany Dickey Class members attend a program in May and was series of eight two-day sessions notified of her selection in between October and June. Each session August. Leadership Iowa is the state’s gives participants an in-depth look at premiere issues awareness program. an important issues facing our state “I’m very honored and excited to through discussions with subject-matter be accepted into the Leadership Iowa experts, engaging activities and unique program this year,” she said. “This is opportunities. a great opportunity to connect with This year’s host communities are leaders across the state as well as learn Atlantic, Sioux Center, Ottumwa, Des about issues facing Iowa. The first Moines, the Quad Cities, Mason City session was amazing and I look forward and Marshalltown. Session topics to future sessions.” include agriculture and renewable More than 1,200 Iowans have
resources; economic development and workforce; government; advanced manufacturing and transportation; education; and community preparedness and response, public safety and security. “This program recognizes these individuals for the leadership they’ve demonstrated, and their desire and commitment to effect positive change in their workplaces, communities and our state,” said Jessi McQuerrey, director of programs at the ABI Foundation. “Year after year, participants tell us that these experiences propel their personal and professional development, and we’re looking forward to another great Leadership Iowa year with this new cohort of extraordinary leaders.” Participants are selected from a large applicant pool based on achieving the best balance of qualified candidates for a particular year. This opportunity is offered to Iowans by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Foundation.
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in brief
Capesius begins as apprentice lineman John Capesius began work at Corn Belt Power on October 16 as an apprentice lineman at Emmetsburg. He is a recent graduate of the powerline program at Northwest Iowa Community College. John will work with the crew until Howard Henkelvig returns from active duty.
New operations engineer begins
Resolution of Appreciation Above | These 16 Corn Belt Power Cooperative lineman served as part of a statewide mutual aid effort to restore power to parts of Iowa following the devestating Aug. 10 derecho.
John Capesius
Neil Smith is Corn Belt Power’s new operations engineer. Smith began work at the cooperative on October 19. Smith hails from Montgomery, Ala. He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University. Smith's wife Amberly, a school teacher, will be joining him in Humboldt as soon as the school year is over.
Grundy County REC holds 2020 annual meeting
CIPCO honors Corn Belt Power
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Neil Smith
Grundy County Rural Electric Cooperative held a virtual annual meeting this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws the business meeting was conducted to complete director elections. The needed quorum of 50 was established through the return of 453 mail-in ballots. During the meeting 20 members from across Grundy County's service territory won a 50 dollar electric bill credit. Parliamentarian, Dennis Puckett, attorney with Sullivan & Ward, conducted the director election process. The following directors were re-elected to three-year terms: Incumbent Larry Rohach, District 4 Incumbent David Schmidt, District 6
Onken, Werner elected to terms at Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative’s virtual annual meeting The Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative annual meeting was held at the co-op office in Glidden, Iowa on September 9. Like many other annual meetings, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the board to make the difficult decision to conduct this year’s annual meeting differently by restricting attendance and completing the essential business of the director election by mail. In accordance with the Raccoon Valley bylaws, the Board of Directors had appointed from the members of the Cooperative a Nominating Committee consisting of Jason Klocke, Dale Wernimont, Corine Handlos, Carol Raasch, Brian Johnson, Keith Kenny and Tracy Onken. David Onken and Karen Werner were re-elected to three-year terms on the Raccoon Valley board of directors.
ooperation among cooperatives is a founding principle of an electric cooperative. That’s why Corn Belt Power crews assisted Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) with its restoration efforts following the devastating derecho in August. In response to our crews’ diligent work, CIPCO honored them with a board resolution of appreciation. The resolution was presented to Corn Belt Power’s board of directors on Friday, October 2. The resolution also honors Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, Dairyland Power Cooperative and Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative for their assistance with restoration efforts. Crews from each organization worked countless hours of overtime to restore power to thousands of rural Iowans following the storms. CIPCO sent crews a commemorative t-shirt and hat as a thank you gift. The storm left thousands of Iowans without power and some estimates claim billions of dollars in damage. Corn Belt Power’s system sustained little damage. CIPCO sustained heavy damage with hundreds of broken poles on multiple line sections. At the height of the outage event, more than 60,000 cooperative member accounts were without power. Within 72 hours, two-thirds of those accounts were restored.
Corn Belt Power Cooperative A
1300 13th Street North • PO Box 508 Humboldt, IA 50548
Corn Belt Power Cooperative crews finished construction of the Feldman Switching Station and Bauman Substation in the Butler Logistics Park to serve expanding industrial load. A portion of the park is shown here from aerial view.
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Humboldt, Iowa Permit No. 32
Feldman Switching Station
Bauman North Substation
October Touchstone Energy Volunteer Challenge winner | Shelly Tredway, manager of
Shelly Tredway
accounting, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, donated her $100 prize drawing to Grandview Baptist Church Awana program.
The power of human connections
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helly Tredway, manager of accounting, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, demonstrates the Touchstone Energy value of commitment to community by volunteering at her church, Grandview Baptist in Estherville. Here Tredway is pictured with one of the “Sparky” classes at her local Awana program. She serves as the program’s secretary.
Calhoun County REC holds virtual annual meeting
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im Miller, Steve Boedecker and Jason McKenney each retained their seats on the Calhoun County REC board during the cooperative’s September 2, 2020 annual meeting. Members voted for the board via mail-in ballot. Feel free to watch the Calhoun County REC recorded annual meeting video on the co-op's website.
Calhoun County REC 2020 Annual Meeting Video: http://bit.ly/Calhoun2020video
Corn Belt Power Cooperative
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Watts Watt is published monthly for employees and associates of Corn Belt Power Cooperative, 1300 13th St. North, Humboldt, Iowa 50548-0508. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Copyright 2020 Kenneth H. Kuyper, Executive Vice President and General Manager Ryan Cornelius, Editor; Vice President, Corporate Relations; CCC Marena V. Fritzler, Marketing Director; CCC
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