Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
Hays-based Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is pleased to announce board leadership changes and new board appointments.
Josh Young, representing Wheatland Electric Cooperative, and Nick Zerr, representing Western Cooperative Electric, were elected as directors on the Sunflower board of directors. John Sullivan, also from Wheatland, and Terry Hobbs, from Western, were selected to serve as alternate directors. In addition, Kenny Wehkamp, the board director representing Victory Electric Cooperative, was elected chairman of the board.
Each of Sunflower’s six member cooperatives—Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Victory Electric Cooperative, Western Cooperative Electric, Wheatland Electric Cooperative, and Prairie Land Electric Cooperative—have two representatives elected by local distribution cooperative members.
Sunflower’s board meets monthly to strategize on the current and future operation of Sunflower and the best approaches to continue providing its members with reliable wholesale energy at the lowest possible cost.
Young, a Wheatland board member since 2020 and current vice president of its board, previously served as Sunflower’s alternate director. He succeeds Wes Campbell, who served as a Sunflower director for ten years and was chairman at the time of his retirement earlier this year. A lifelong resident of western Kansas, Young brings a strong background in agriculture, banking, and community leadership.
“I’m honored to have been selected to serve on the Sunflower board,” Young said. “This opportunity “I’m honored to have been selected to serve on the Sunflower board,” Young said. “This opportunity represents both a privilege and a responsibility, and I am grateful. I look forward to working alongside fellow board members to support Sunflower’s vision and contribute to its continued success.”
Currently serving as president of the Western board, Zerr succeeds Frank Joy, who held a Sunflower board seat for 16 years. A resident of Gove, Zerr has a background in healthcare, farming, ranching, and rural real estate and has served on several local boards and organizations.
Sullivan, a member of the Wheatland board since 2011, is the chief financial officer of the Great Bend Cooperative Association and has more than three decades of experience in the grain cooperative sector. He succeeds Young in the alternate director role.
“Serving as an alternate on the Sunflower board is a great opportunity to broaden my understanding of how the generation side of the cooperative supports distribution,” Sullivan said. “I look forward to building new connections and gaining deeper insight into the electric cooperative world.”
Also named an alternate director, Hobbs, has served on the Western board since 1993 and currently holds the vice president position. He has long been a strong supporter of electric cooperative values and industry advancement.
“It is important for a board to be fair and balanced and to analyze the data to ensure the right decisions are being made for the members we represent,” Hobbs said. “I have always considered it an honor to represent the members of Western Co-op and look forward to continuing in those efforts at Sunflower.”
Wehkamp, the Sunflower board director representing Victory since 2017, was elected board chairman in May. He previously served as alternate director between 2011-2017 and has been a board trustee at Victory since 1997. A farmer from Cimarron, Wehkamp brings nearly three decades of cooperative leadership experience to his newly appointed chairman role.
“I’m honored to serve as chairman of the Sunflower board of directors,” Wehkamp said. “It’s a privilege to work collaboratively alongside my fellow board directors and company leadership as we continue to support the evolving needs of Sunflower’s member systems and the rural Kansas communities they serve. I will build on the solid foundation laid by past board leadership to support long-term electric reliability, affordable rates, and forward-thinking energy solutions.”
Sunflower is proud to welcome its newest directors, alternate directors, and board chairman. Their diverse professional backgrounds—spanning agriculture, finance, healthcare, education, and public service—enhance the board’s ability to navigate challenges and seize opportunities in today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape.
Together, this team of proven leaders will help guide Sunflower’s strategic direction, ensuring our member cooperatives and the communities they serve continue to benefit from safe, reliable, and cost-effective electricity for years to come.