Members Elect 4 Newcomers, 2 Incumbents to CFC Board

At the October 22 Districts 2 and 3 meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi, delegates elected newcomer Louie Ward to a three-year term on the board to represent District 3. Ward is the general manager for Tallapoosa River Electric Cooperative in Alabama and will fill Keith Hayward’s seat. 

At the October 28 Districts 8 and 10 meeting in Round Rock, Texas, delegates reelected Donnie Bidegain to a second three-year term on the board to represent District 10. Bidegain serves as the board vice president for Farmers’ Electric Cooperative of New Mexico.

All new incoming directors—except for newly elected District 7 Director Ryan Schilreff—will be seated following CFC’s annual meeting in June 2026. Schilreff was seated immediately following the election to fill the district’s open seat.

Complete 2025 director election results follow. (* Reflects an incumbent.)

District 1, Manager Position 

• Ruston Ogburn, general manager, Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative (PA). 

District 3, Manager Position

• Louie Ward, general manager, Tallapoosa River Electric Cooperative (AL).  

District 4, Director Position

• Bruce Everhart*, director, RushShelby Energy (IN).

District 6, Director Position

• Gary Fish, director, Sioux Valley Energy (SD). 

District 7, Manager Position

• Ryan Schilreff, general manager, Wyrulec Company (WY). 

District 10, Director Position 

• Donnie Bidegain*, board vice president, Farmers’ Electric Cooperative of New Mexico (NM).