Clearwater Power is governed by a member-elected board of directors. Board members are nominated by members and elected to represent a district within the cooperative’s service territory.
Tom Hutchinson was involved in a cooperative for area grain producers and serving on a local school board when a nominating committee member approached him about serving on the Clearwater Power Company’s board of directors. Interested, Tom began talking to the co-op’s general manager at the time, George King, about what the role would involve.
That was in 1988. Tom was elected and has served the cooperative’s members ever since.
“I love serving on the board of directors,” Tom says.
Board members must live on cooperative lines and reside in the district they represent. Tom serves District 7, which includes Weippe, Greer, the outskirts of Orofino, the area north of Craigmont, and the edge of Nezperce. He and his wife, Cynthia, live along Highway 62, between Craigmont and Nezperce.
Tom was at the University of Idaho College of Law studying business law when an opportunity to move to his wife’s family farm arose. They moved to the farm and became Clearwater Power members.
In November, Tom completed a three-year term as board president, a position he’s held twice. With more than 37 years of service on the board, he has also held every other board position, too, serving as vice president, secretary-treasurer twice, and assistant secretary-treasurer.
The board is responsible for the cooperative’s strategic direction and serves as a voice for the members. Tom describes board service as a learning experience, keeping up on a large amount of information to be able to make the best decisions to help keep rates as affordable as possible.
“We’re representing and directing the cooperative through a lot of challenges, including a rate increase from Bonneville Power,” he says.
He believes it is important for all members to take the time to understand the issues that impact the cooperative and its ability to provide members with the energy they need.
Tom is committed to the task. He has taken additional training to earn Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board Leadership certifications from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
“I wanted to pursue additional ways to help the membership,” he says.
Tom serves on the Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association board and is a past president. ICUA is the only association that combines rural electric cooperatives and municipal power companies to increase its representative footprint as it advocates for Idaho’s public power interests. Tom also served on the Public Power Council Executive Committee for 10 years.
Tom is proud to have made multiple trips to Washington, D.C., to represent Clearwater Power and ICUA members, ensuring members of Congress are aware of issues important to electric cooperatives, their employees, and the members they serve. He’s made the trip about 35 times.
For fun, Tom restores collector cars. He has completely restored four vehicles: a 1951 Willys Jeepster, a ’69 Ford Bronco, a ’56 Chevy pickup, and a ’64 Willys pickup. He has a ’57 Chevy in progress. Chuckling, he adds, “And they’re all younger than me!”
Tom and Cynthia have two adult children, twin grandchildren, and a stray cat.