Darrell Boot, Pella Cooperative Electric Association's (PCEA) District 2 Director and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer recently received the Director Gold Credential Program (DGC) certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

An ever-changing business environment has imposed new demands on electric cooperative directors, requiring increased knowledge of changes in the electric utility business, new governance skills, and a solid knowledge of the cooperative principles and business model. Electric cooperatives in Iowa have a commitment to work through NRECA to sharpen this body of knowledge for the benefit of their electric cooperative consumer-owners.

The NRECA DGC program does not replace or change any of the existing Director Education credentials earned by directors, including the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) or Board Leadership Certificate (BLC). With Director Gold, directors now have another option for education beyond the CCD and BLC to work toward and add to their list of professional accomplishments.

NRECA represents the nation's more than 900 private, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide electric service to more than 42 million people in 47 states.

Boot has been a PCEA member since 1983 and was elected as the District 2 Director in 2014. He farms with his wife Bonnie outside of Pella and enjoys traveling, hunting, restoring old tractors and trucks, and spending time with his family. Bonnie and Darrell have three children and six grandchildren.