Below are the candidates for District 9. This district includes members in Perry Township in Allen County. There are six candidates in this district.
Quentin Brown has spent more than 25 years with Northern Indiana Public Service Company in various field positions and multiple management roles in contractor services and operations, safety, and compliance.
Brown has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Saint Francis in addition to his bachelor’s degree in applied management from Trine University, where he was an honors graduate.
Married for 26 years, he and his wife have three children, two boys and one girl. They’ve raised their children in Allen County, where they’ve resided for 18 years. Brown’s family also includes four busy dogs that love to be included in everything the family does. As a family, the Browns enjoy roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around the campfire together and having movie nights. They can also be found attending car and motorcycle shows or events.
When asked why Brown would like to serve on NREMC’s Board of Directors, he said, “I would like to serve as a director for NREMC to share my knowledge and experience over the last 25+ years working in the natural gas/electric industry."
Michael Evans has spent 25 years in information technology, working in various industries. He spent the first part of his career working in the automotive industry, and more recently, he’s worked in the aerospace and defense industries. He started his career as a computer programmer, advancing to systems analyst, project manager, and IT manager.
Evans earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. While in college, he worked as a disc jockey on WMTU radio. Michigan Tech is where Michael developed a love of hockey and snow, including building snow statues for Michigan Tech’s annual Winter Carnival.
Michael’s volunteerism includes his son’s Boy Scout troop, Junior Achievement, and the Boys and Girls Club in Fort Wayne. Through his employer, he has also volunteered at Shepherd’s House and the Great American Cleanup. He also regularly attends Promise Ministries church. Evans is happily married to Kimberly, his wife of 22 years, and they have three children.
In his free time, Michael likes to spend time outdoors, hiking and camping. He and his family can often be found at the TinCap baseball games in the summer and enjoy Komets hockey in the winter.
When asked why Evans would like to serve on NREMC’s Board of Directors, he said, “I have a strong sense of community and service to the community. I look at being a Board member as a service to the community.\
Jeremy McClish resides in Northwest Allen County and has served as District 9’s director for three years. During that time, he earned his National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director Certification. McClish is passionate about serving his community and has recently been named CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fort Wayne. He previously served as Habitat’s COO and began working at the nonprofit in 2017 when he moved back to Fort Wayne.
Before entering the nonprofit space, McClish gained experience in several industries. He worked in franchising for an international brand in Denver, he and his wife helped manage a working guest ranch in the Rocky Mountains, and he also helped launch a health care startup south of Chicago. Throughout his career, McClish has worked closely with several CEOs and board directors. He has vast experience both in creating and executing strategic plans, as well as managing budgets of similar size to NREMC’s.
McClish attends Pathway Community Church with his wife, Molly, and their three kids, where he has served in the children’s ministry, marriage ministry, and various discipleship groups. You can also catch him volunteering at various activities and school events for his kids.
When asked why McClish would like to serve NREMC’s Board of Directors for another term, he said, “My passion for service and business experience make this role as District 9’s director a very exciting fit. It would be a joy to continue using my skills, experiences, and passions to serve the cooperative.”
Dr. Steven Salkeld has practiced dentistry in Fort Wayne and Noblesville, Indiana, and Phoenix, Arizona, and is now at Bertsch Family Dentistry (formerly Salkeld Family Dental), centrally located in Perry Township.
Dr. Salkeld attended Northrop High School and then pursued his bachelor’s degree at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, along with a doctorate from Indiana University School of Dentistry. He also graduated from the Misch International Implant Institute and, in 2005, received his fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
Dr. Salkeld is a member of the American Dental Association, Indiana Dental Association, and Isaac Knapp District Dental Society (IKDDS). He served as an alternate delegate to the IDA House of Delegates and also served on the Board of Directors of IKDDS.
He is married to his wife, Erin, and they have two sons, Connor and Carson.
Dr. Salkeld is active outdoors and enjoys motorcycles, hockey, and time with his family. He is also a USA Hockey official in his spare time, refereeing local and regional hockey games.
When asked why Dr. Salkeld would like to serve on NREMC’s Board of Directors, he said, “I can apply my 32 years of experience owning and operating a dental office directly to the Board. As a dentist, I have acted as CEO, human resources, payroll and office manager, leader, and trainer and have developed numerous standard operating procedures. Specifically, the leadership skills I have acquired in the Indiana Dental Association and IKDDS can directly apply to the NREMC Board of Directors.”
Merritt Webb is a licensed professional engineer. Webb grew up in a small town in Indiana and always had a curiosity about how things worked. This led him to study mechanical engineering at Purdue. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, Webb worked at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company as a mechanical analyst on several satellite programs. While at Lockheed, Webb went to Stanford University and earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Webb missed Indiana and returned to work at L3Harris in multiple roles centered around technology management and the development of weather satellite instruments for 29 years. Among these is the ABI instrument that provides the images we see on the evening weather segments.
Webb is now a product team lead at Raytheon. Throughout his engineering career, Webb has worked with suppliers and customers. He understands that cooperation, collaboration, and cost are keys to achieving success.
Webb has been an NREMC customer for 30 years. Webb and his wife, Ann, have raised a son and stepson. Ann paints in their free time, and Webb enjoys metal working, as well as golf, sports, and photography.
When asked why Webb would like to serve on NREMC’s Board of Directors, he said, “I would like to use my experience in solving problems and working with technology to help our cooperative. I have been very fortunate and want to give back. I want to help the company and the members of the cooperative. My understanding of people and technology will help us move forward, and I welcome the opportunity to serve.”
Randy Weddle is the chief operations officer for Kids Read Now, a nonprofit company providing a literacy program for children. He previously served as the vice president of client services for Fetch! Pet Care, working to develop and implement a scalable call center for all the franchisees. Before this, he was the chief operating officer at One Call Now until 2015.
Weddle has obtained a dual bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting and a master’s degree in business administration, both from Urbana University in Ohio. He also received an associate degree in programming from Northwestern Business College in Lima, Ohio.
New to the Fort Wayne community, Weddle previously served as a member of the Troy Chamber of Commerce and Vandalia Rotary Club. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus. In addition, he chaired an annual church festival for 10 years where, along with countless volunteers, they raised more than one million dollars.
Weddle and his wife, Jackie, enjoy spending their free time playing pickleball, disc golf, hiking, biking, and kayaking.
When asked why Weddle would like to serve on NREMC’s Board of Directors, he said, “One of my goals is to make a positive difference in everything I do. Continuous learning, personal growth, and helping others do the same is a passion. I have over 35 years of experience in management, training, strategic planning, and operations. Serving on the NREMC Board is a great way to utilize my business knowledge and experiences and pay it forward by helping our community.”
Election FAQs
Online voting in the 2023 Board of Directors election begins on Wednesday, August 9, and ends on Thursday, September 7, at 5 pm.
Voting online is the easiest and most convenient way to cast your vote. To do so, have your ballot ready and log into your online account.
Members who choose to vote by mail are still able to do so. All members will begin receiving their mailed ballots on August 9, 2023. Follow the instructions on the ballot to learn how to cast your vote and return your ballot by mail. If you have not mailed your ballot by September 1, please bring it to the annual meeting on September 9.
Members can vote at Northeastern REMC using the tablets provided in the lobby during our business hours. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Any member is eligible to apply to be part of the board. Northeastern REMC assembled a nominating committee from existing members. These members review applications and interview candidates beginning in May. Once all information has been evaluated, the nominating committee selects candidates.
Three of the nine board of directors' positions are elected annually for new three-year terms. Each term's beginning and end dates are staggered to eliminate the potential of having too many brand new board members at one time. This helps maintain a healthy duality of experience and fresh ideas.
You can learn more about the current board members at nremc.com/leadership. This is also where you can learn more about the vital role the board of directors have in your electric cooperative.
Learn more about who is eligible, what the election process is like, and more at nremc.com/leadership. This is also where you can learn more about the vital role the board of directors have in your electric cooperative.