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 from 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.
Proven Local Leaders Step into Board Director Roles
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 as chairman at the time of his retirement earlier this year.
A lifelong resident of western Kansas, Young graduated from Greeley County High School in 1996 and attended Fort Hays State University. He returned to Tribune to work in his family’s feed yard and farming operation before beginning a banking career in 2005. He is currently a senior vice president at Security State Bank in Leoti and owns JCY Inc., a storage unit facility.
“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.”
Young is actively involved in his community. He has served on the Wichita County Hospital Board, Wichita County Park and Recreation Board, and Wichita County Economic Development. He is currently serving his second term on the USD 467 Board of Education and has volunteered as a youth football and basketball coach. He and his family are members of Christ Covenant Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Young and his wife, Courtney, have three sons. Their oldest is attending Fort Hays State University. In his free time, Young enjoys coaching, traveling, and attending his children’s sporting events.
A lifelong resident of Gove, Kan., Zerr has served on the Western Cooperative Electric board since 2022 and currently serves as board president. He succeeds Frank Joy, who represented Western on the Sunflower board for the past seven years as director and the nine years prior as alternate director.
After university, Zerr spent a decade working at Logan County Hospital. Today, in addition to managing a farm and ranching operation, he works as a real estate agent and equipment sales agent.
Zerr has long been active in his community. He served on the USD 292 School Board, the Grainfield City Council, Gove County Economic Development, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He and his wife, Dusty, his high school sweetheart, have been married nearly 20 years and have three children. The family stays busy with school activities and 4-H programs.
Experienced Voices to Serve as Alternate Directors
A Wheatland board member since 2011, Sullivan brings more than three decades of cooperative experience to his new role. He is a native of Logan, Kan., and has lived in Great Bend for the past 26 years.
Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in business finance from Western Illinois University, where he also played college football, and a second bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wichita State University. He currently serves as chief financial officer of the Great Bend Cooperative Association. Before that, he worked as a certified public accountant for Lindburg Vogel, where he audited local grain cooperatives.
“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. “With more than 36 years in the grain cooperative system, I’ve seen firsthand how strong member relationships and community involvement drive success. I look forward to building new connections and gaining deeper insight into the electric cooperative world.”
Sullivan has a strong record of community service. He has been an ambassador for the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce for 15 years, is a member and past president of the Great Bend Optimist Club, served as treasurer for a local Boy Scouts troop for 14 years, and has also held the role of PTA president at a Great Bend school.
He and his wife, Annie, have two children, Erin and Blake. In his free time, he enjoys hiking in the mountains and biking through Barton County with his family.
Hobbs has served on the Western board since 1993 and currently holds the position of vice president. He also serves on the Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (KEC) Board, a statewide association supporting Kansas electric cooperatives, where he previously served as chairman.
A lifelong farmer and rancher, Hobbs’ land in Graham and Trego counties has been in his family since it was homesteaded in 1887. Deeply committed to the strength and continuity of Western Cooperative Electric, Hobbs advocates for a strong employee safety culture, competitive consumer rates, and staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
“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.”
In addition to his service in the electric cooperative industry, Hobbs is a regular contributor to Kansas Country Living magazine, authoring the monthly column “Talkin, Tootin & Tailgatin,” which resonates with readers across the state’s cooperative network.
Hobbs and his wife, Diana, live in western Kansas, where they remain active in both agriculture and their community.
Longtime Cooperative Leader Elected Board Chairman
Wehkamp, the Sunflower board director representing Victory since 2017, was elected board chairman in May. Bringing nearly three decades of cooperative leadership experience to his newly appointed chairman role, he previously served as alternate director between 2011-2017 and has been a board trustee at Victory since 1997.
A farmer and lifelong resident of Cimarron, Kan., Wehkamp is deeply rooted in rural Kansas and understands the critical role reliable and affordable electricity plays in supporting communities across the region.
“I’m honored to serve as chairman of the Sunflower Board of Directors,” said Wehkamp. “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.