OPALCO: Board of Directors

Dave Hylton	San Juan Island	Elected 5/14/05
Roger Crosby	Orcas Island	Elected 4/16/88
vacant	Shaw Island
Nourdine Jensen	San Juan Island	Elected 1/1/65
Ed Marble	Lopez Island	Elected 4/19/86
Bob Myhr	Lopez Island	Elected 4/19/86
Chris Thomerson	Orcas Island	Elected 5/6/06

Dave was raised on San Juan Island and graduated from Friday Harbor High School in 1957. During this time, he worked the family farm, fished commercially, and played high school sports. In the early 1950s, Dave would visit OPALCO’s Friday Harbor generating plant to marvel at its huge diesel engines. He also remembers watching as the first OPALCO cable was laid to San Juan.

After graduating from Washington State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1961, Dave began a 35-year career with Chevron Corporation where he managed operations, maintenance and construction of oil refineries and cross-country pipeline systems.

Dave is now retired and lives at the north end of San Juan Island on property purchased in 1989, where he enjoys restoring old machinery in a large workshop. He is President of Limestone Point Water Company, Inc. and a Director of the San Juan Historical Museum. Another activity that he enjoys is Scottish Country Dancing.

After owning property since 1974, Roger Crosby and his wife, Joan, built their home near Deer Harbor in 1982. He is a member of Orcas Center, Orcas Medical Center, Orcas Island Yacht Club, Pole Pass Power Squadron and the San Juan Preservation Trust. Former activities include: Arbitrator for the court and American Arbitration Association; member of an advisory board to a school district; Chairman of Chamber of Commerce Education and Legislative divisions; and church Deacon.

While attending W.S.U. and University of Washington Law School, Roger worked as a shipfitter, newspaper district manager and insurance adjuster. As an attorney, he represented a variety of businesses. Directorship in over ten companies has involved railroads, trucking, telephones, banking, farming, wood products and real estate. His last position before retiring was Vice President and General Counsel for Burlington Northern, Inc. Thirty years in the transportation and utility fields has provided Crosby with knowledge and expertise which has proven to be very beneficial to OPALCO.

Crosby believes that cooperatives should be guided by their members for the benefit of the membership as a whole, and his continuing goal is to help provide reliable service at a reasonable cost. He sees the two most challenging issues presently facing directors as protecting OPALCO from the inevitable problems of coming deregulation and convincing Bonneville to replace a failed mainland cable.

Nourdine Jensen was born and raised on San Juan Island. He graduated from Friday Harbor High School, attended the University of Washington School of Engineering, and served in the US Navy in a ship repair unit during World War II. He has owned property on San Juan Island for more than fifty years. In 1946, he took over the management of the family business, Albert Jensen and Sons Shipyard, later becoming the sole owner; he is still active in its operation.

Nourdine has "had the privilege" to serve the community as a school board member, city councilman, volunteer fireman and port commissioner for over twenty years (being one of the first elected when the Port District was chartered).

Having had an active interest in Orcas Power and Light Cooperative since its beginning, Nourdine is dedicated to the preservation of a reliable and efficient power supply and system for San Juan County. His experience and historical perspective are a great asset in directing the future policies of the cooperative.

Ed Marble and his wife, Frances, have owned property on Lopez Island since 1964, establishing their permanent residence on the island in 1980. Ed has a degree in Architecture from the University of Washington and had his own architecture practice in Yakima for 27 years. He is a member and past president of the Lopez Island Lions Club and has served as a member on the Board of the Lopez Medical Clinic.

Some of the policy goals Ed supports are: continuing with the installation of backup underwater cables to the principal islands, continuing to exert every effort to affect state and national policies favorable to the goals of OPALCO and its members (including keeping the lid on wholesale power costs from Bonneville Power Administration, our principal supplier of electric power) and emphasizing a policy of training and hiring local people for employment with the OPALCO family of employees wherever possible.

In his years as a director, Ed has gained much experience with the technical, financial and political problems of the electrical generating and distributing industry as they impact OPALCO. He is committed to applying what he has learned to help the board make decisions that will enable OPALCO to continue to offer its members reliable service at the lowest cost.

Bob Myhr is a long time property owner on the islands and a co-op member since 1967. He is Senior Advisor for the San Juan Preservation Trust, a land trust dedicated to the conservation and careful use of the land in the San Juans. He is also an international management consultant and has served as a member of the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Comprehensive Plan, San Juan Islands Audubon Society, Lopez Lions Club and Lopez Historical Society.

As director and past president of the OPALCO Board of Directors, Myhr advocates continuation of the long established policy of the cooperative-- to make reliable electrical energy available to the members at the lowest cost consistent with sound economy, good management and the public interest. He believes this includes meeting the following objectives:

Chris Thomerson and his wife Lynn sailed in the San Juans for many years in their 25’ sailing boat. They eventually moved here from Eugene Oregon as soon as Lynn retired from her teaching position as an Elementary School Librarian.

Chris’ degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manchester in England was sponsored by a scholarship from the Nationalized Electricity Distribution Board. He trained as a field engineer in the distribution system in north London, including training in field operations and generation technology. He gratefully remembers the special camaraderie generated within groups of people working together in sometimes difficult and potentially dangerous circumstances where mutual trust is essential.

Chris’ business providing management training included major northwest companies. He spent the best part of a year training BPA groups ranging from the top executive committee to field groups on the outskirts of their operations. He appreciates their difficult mandate balancing decent environmental standards with Federal demands for revenue.

He sees OPALCO as a crucial part of Island livability and is committed to the objectives of the Orcas Power and Light Cooperative - “to serve San Juan County by providing electrical utility service that is efficient, economical and adequate for our members”.