Mike Traxinger of Claremont filed the only valid petition to fill the vacant board seat in District 1 after Mark Sumption reached his term limit of serving three consecutive three-year terms. Traxinger filed his petition to replace Sumption on July 22.

“I’ve always had a passion for the cooperative system,” Traxinger said. “Cooperatives are vital to the success of rural America and farming and ranching. After talking with some Northern Electric directors and members, I decided that I wanted to run for the board to serve Northern Electric’s members.”

Traxinger is a fifth-generation farmer and currently serves as the General Counsel and Director of Governmental Affairs for Agtegra Cooperative. He also maintains a small herd of cattle and grows row crops on the family farm operation; Traxinger Simmentals.

Traxinger is the current vice president of the South Dakota Association of Cooperatives and serves as the past president of the American Agricultural Law Association (AALA). He is also the co-chair of the Agricultural Law Committee of the State Bar of South Dakota. He is a member of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, and South Dakota Simmental Association. The Houghton native is also a Class VII alumnus of the South Dakota Agricultural Rural Leadership (SDARL) program.

“I have a strong understanding of the role of a cooperative director, South Dakota cooperative law, and how to support the goals and missions of the cooperative,” Traxinger said. “I hope to use this skillset to be a strong voice for our members and a valued contributor to the Northern Electric Board of Directors.”

Traxinger was officially seated as the new director for District 1 during the Northern Electric Annual Meeting on September 21.