News

The Nominating Committee met at the Mena office Sept. 26 to name candidates for director position. This position will be filled by the mail balloting that will precede the 2024 Annual Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Committee members present were Farrell Cole of Holly Springs; David Donica of Hatfield; Phillip Hatley of Potter; R.H. Pinkerton of Umpire; Reginald Fryar of Cove; Stan House of Mena and Wendell Garner of Dierks.

Nominations for director to serve a nine (9) year term follow:

About the Candidates:

Betty Smith
Incumbent Betty Smith has represented District 6 on the Rich Mountain Electric Board of Directors since 2006. Betty has demonstrated a strong dedication to ensuring that the cooperative meets the needs of its members both today and in the future by achieving the Director Gold Credential Certification with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). She has served on the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. and is also a delegate to the national convention of NRECA. Betty is a longtime resident of the Nunley community. She has two children and three grandchildren. Betty and her family were formerly named Western Arkansas District Farm Family of the year and are active in the community. She is a member of the Church of Christ. Betty is a residential member of Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative. Betty was nominated by the Cooperative’s Nominating Committee.

Shane Torix
My name is Shane Torix, and I am running for the District 6 Position on the Rich Mountain Electric Board in November. I was raised in Polk County and have lived here most of my life. After graduating from Mena High School in 1991, I played baseball at Carl Albert State College and then Ouachita Baptist University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. In 1995, I began my coaching career in DeWitt. After coaching for eight years, I earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Harding University and returned to my alma mater as the high school assistant principal. I have served in several administrative positions for Mena Public Schools (MPS) over the past 22 years and am currently the Transportation Director, head of Student Support Services and head of School Security. I am a member of the Arkansas Administrator’s Education Association, Arkansas Public School Transportation Association and a former member of Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals.

In 2016, I became a reserve deputy for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and began serving as the MPS head of security at that time. I feel very fortunate to have been able to return to my hometown and serve the community and the students just the same as so many supported and poured into my life growing up.

My wife, Teresa, and I have two daughters, Kaitlyn Bunch (Jake) and Daryan Torix, and we have three grandsons, Brooks, Baker and Cain. My wife teaches at Mena High School. Kaitlyn is a speech therapist, and Daryan is a physical therapist. My family and I are members of The Crossing Church in Mena.

My dad, Jerry Torix, worked for RMEC for 30 years until his retirement in 1996, and my brother worked for North Arkansas Electric for 31 years until his retirement. The electric cooperatives have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I would love the opportunity to serve on the board as my way of continuing the support my family has always awarded to rural electric cooperatives.

Shane was nominated by the Cooperative’s Nominating Committee.

If any additional nominations are forthcoming, the candidate’s names will appear on the official ballot.

Rich Mountain Electric Members: Please notice!

Around Nov. 8, you will receive a ballot by mail, by which you may vote for one director to serve a nine (9) year term on the Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Board.

Please, return your ballot promptly. You will have a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card. Simply mark and return the official “Vote by Mail” ballot enclosed with the Annual Report, which will be mailed to each member. Also, we would appreciate your taking the time to fill out the member questionnaire attached to the ballot.

To be eligible to win, you must return the official ballot, properly marked, in the special envelope provided before noon, Tuesday, Nov. 26.