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Lignite Energy Council awards Harper, Basin Electric staff

Honors given to recognize years of service, leadership, and a media campaign on regional haze.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative - October 14, 2011

The Lignite Energy Council commissioned a pencil sketch
of Harper. (left to right) John Dwyer, president and CEO,
Lignite Energy Council; Ron Harper, CEO and general
manager, Basin Electric; ND Gov. Jack Dalrymple;
Al Hodnik, president and CEO, ALLETE/Minnesota Power;
Bob Benson, president and CEO, North American Coal
Corporation; and Robert "Mac" McLennan, president
and CEO, Minnkota Power Cooperative.

During the Lignite Energy Council’s 38^th Annual Meeting held Oct. 6 in Bismarck, ND, Ron Harper, Basin Electric CEO and general manager, was given the Ambassador of Lignite award.

The special leadership award is given to recognize Harper’s years of service to the lignite industry. John Dwyer, president and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council, said Harper is well-deserving of the award. “Having worked closely with Ron over several years, I’ve learned that his interest in the industry is very ‘hands on’ and that he looks out to the future and sees things that are coming, and figures out the right strategies to deal with complex issues,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer also said Harper called a strategic planning conference of the Lignite Energy Council’s board of directors in May 2005 that had a lasting effect. “Ron asked the group to look toward the future to make sure the Lignite Energy Council’s programs and objectives would meet the future needs of the members. I think everyone associated with the strategy session agreed that the planning session six years ago led to changes in the council that today are paying off for the industry as we re-directed the Council’s mission to be more pro-active in meeting the challenges facing our industry,” Dwyer said. “Specifically, the strategy session led us to form stronger alliances among the lignite industry in both research and development and government action programs. We now have research and development members from Canada and are working on government relations projects with companies mining and using Gulf Coast lignite in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.”

Harper served as chairman of the Lignite Energy Council from 2003-2005, and has served on the organization’s board of directors and management committee.

Floyd Robb, Basin Electric vice president of communications and marketing support, received honors during the ceremony for leadership displayed over the past decade as chairman of Partners for Affordable Energy.

Also, a team from Basin Electric's External Relations & Communications department received a distinguished service award for government action. The regional haze website and media campaign are being used to support the efforts of the state of North Dakota in defending the Department of Health's position regarding its regional haze plan against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Members of the team include: Curtis Jabs, senior legislative representative; Mary Klecker-Green, supervisor of public and member communications; Paul Cook, web designer III; Tracey Krusi, multimedia specialist II; Andrea Blowers, staff writer/editor; Michele Hellman, web designer II; Greg Wheeler, multimedia specialist II - audio visual producer; Chris VandeVenter, legislative representative; and Lyle Witham, manager of environmental services.

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