Jon Van Woerkom, Pella Cooperative Electric Association's (PCEA) District 1 Director recently received the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) 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 CCD program requires attendance and demonstrated understanding of the basic competencies contained in five core courses:

• Director Duties and Liabilities
• Understanding the Electric Business
• Board Operations and Process
• Strategic Planning
• Financial Decision Making

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.

Van Woerkom has been a PCEA member since 1986 and was elected as the district 1 director in 2019. He owned and operated Pella Glass & Home Improvement Inc. for 24 years before selling the business in 2020. Van Woerkom has also been a volunteer fireman in Pella for 34 years.