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NEC Board of Directors
Our seven-member board of directors are selected by you, our members. Each director represents one of our six district territories and one retail director.
District 1
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Dr. Rumaldo Z. Juárez has been an NEC member since 2008 and was appointed by the NEC Board of Directors as District 1 NEC Director to fill the vacant seat in August 2012. Dr. Juárez serves on the following Co-op committees: Executive Committee (Vice President), Governance, Strategic Planning (Chair), Finance (Chair), Nueces Charities Inc., Education, and Retail Marketing. Dr. Juárez currently has a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Director Gold Certificate. Along with his fellow directors, he is committed to ensuring that: (1) the best interests of all NEC members and employees are served, (2) the use of alternative sources of energy are used to their full potential, and (3) that NEC continues to stay abreast the demands of a rapidly changing energy industry. Dr. Juárez received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from Texas A&M University-College Station, is a Distinguished Military Graduate of its ROTC Program, and a Vietnam Veteran. He received a Ph.D. in Rural Sociology from Penn State University. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Management Development Program and the Texas Governor’s Executive Development Program and a Distinguished Alumni of the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. During his 36 years in the field of higher education, he held academic appointments at the University of Arizona; University of Texas-Pan American (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley); Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston and the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio; Dean and Professor, College of Health Professions at Texas State University and President of Texas A&M University - Kingsville. He also was a Social Science Analyst in the Office of Evaluation and Technical Analysis in the Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. and served in various state, national and international advisory boards. Dr. Juárez currently serves as President and Director of the Robstown Area Historical Museum, Board Member, Past-President and Founding Member of the Robstown Independent School District Education Foundation and a member of the Rotary International Club of Corpus Christi Northwest. He lives in Calallen with his wife Teresa.
District 2
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Sherry Zimmerman has been a member of Nueces Electric Cooperative since 2004 and was appointed by the NEC Board of Directors in April 2026 to serve District 2.
Sherry graduated from Texas A&M University–Kingsville in 2008 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. She has served on the board of Nueces Water Supply Corporation Board since 2015 and currently serves as board president.
She is also an active volunteer with United States Custom Harvesters, Inc., where she has served on the scholarship committee since 2021. In addition, she is a correspondent blogger for High Plains Journal’s “All Aboard Fall Harvest” series, sharing insights and experiences from the harvest trail since 2022. Sherry has also volunteered her time with the Bishop 4-H Club.
Sherry and her husband, Brian Zimmerman, own and operate Zimmerman Farms in Bishop. Together with their four children — identical 17-year-old twins Wailynn and Wyatt, 16-year-old Wesson, and 14-year-old Whitleigh — they manage a busy farming and harvesting operation while homeschooling their family.
Outside of farming, Sherry enjoys reading, spending time with her family, skiing in Breckenridge, camping at lakes, hiking, hunting, and saltwater fishing.
District 3
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David Rosse grew up as a member of an NEC family. He, himself, has been a member of NEC for 42 years. His grandfather was an NEC director for 32 years. Mr. Rosse was elected as an NEC director in 1988 and has served as director for the past 30 years. As an NEC director, Mr. Rosse currently serves as secretary-treasurer for NEC and as director for San Miguel Electric Cooperative - one of NEC’s power suppliers. He additionally serves as the chair of each of the following committees: Government Affairs, Director Screening and Governance. Mr. Rosse is the Kleberg County Commissioner for Precinct 1. Mr. Rosse believes that the most important role NEC directors have is to ensure affordable, reliable energy to our membership and to represent the membership in the decision making processes of the Co-op. Mr. Rosse believes that he qualifies for service as an NEC director because of his Certified Electric Cooperative Director training, his experience serving NEC members as a director that helps him understand how the process works and his willingness to listen to all ideas and concerns that will help the co-op grow. Mr. Rosse resides in Kingsville and is the father of five children - Oscar David, Charles William (wife, Sarah), Maranie May, Morgan Marie, and April Nicole - and the grandfather of four - Mason, Landon, Maysie, and Isabel.
District 4
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Donald Wayne Herrmann has been an NEC member all his life and was appointed NEC director in January 2005. He is a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Credentialed Cooperative Director, and currently serves on the NEC Strategic Planning/CEO Evaluation Committee, along with the Education Committee. Mr. Herrmann is a crop farmer, rancher, and fish farmer in Nueces County. He believes the most important role of an NEC director is to work in unity with fellow directors to make decisions that are in the best interest of the entire co-op and its members. Mr. Herrmann attended Del Mar Technical College and served on the Banquete ISD Board including terms as both president and vice-president. He has also served as president and vice-president of the Banquete Grain Co-op, on the board of Coastal Bend Youth City, as the finance and administrative chairman of the Banquete United Methodist Church, as a director, president, and vice-president of the Nueces County Jr. Livestock Show, and as a board member of the Texas Youth Rodeo Association and Nueces County Youth Rodeo Association. Mr. Herrmann resides in Robstown with his wife, Kathy, where they raised their three sons, Jon (wife Lacey), Scot (wife Jennifer) and Joe. Mr. Herrmann and his wife are proud grandparents to Hallee, Hayes, Hank, Landon, Logan, and Braden.
District 5
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Susan Stewart is a 3rd generation NEC member. She has been married 44 years to Lloyd (retired from Valero) and home is on the family ranch where they raise cattle and operate a wildlife hunting business. They have a son, Jesse Stewart, who is an anesthesiologist in Dallas, TX. Susan graduated from Freer High School and was president of the National Honor Society her senior year. She received a License Vocational Nursing degree from Bee County College and was employed as part-time nurse for 26 years at San Miguel Electric Cooperative in Christine, TX. During her employment she received firsthand knowledge of how electricity is generated and distributed, as well as work alongside the wonderful employees involved in that process. Susan served as a member of the Community Involvement Committee at NEC for 6 years representing her late mother, Maxine Stewart, a Director on the NEC Board until her retirement in 2019.
District 6
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Mr. Menking has been an NEC member since February 1977 and was appointed NEC director in April 2007. He has completed the coursework for the NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) program, the NRECA Board Leadership Certification (BLC) program and the NRECA Director Gold Certification (DGC) program. As the current President of the Board, he actively serves on the NEC Budget and Finance Committee, the Building Study Committee, the District Boundary Committee, the Education Committee, and the Governance Committee. Mr. Menking is an engineer and a business owner. He is an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Mr. Menking believes the most important role of a director is to provide strong leadership in a fast and changing market. He feels that forty years of leadership experience and business ownership qualify him for the role as a Nueces Electric Cooperative Director. Mr. Menking resides in Alice with his wife, Ann, and is father to two children: Heidi and Christopher.
District 7
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Gladys Lippincott
Term: Elected October 2025
Term End: October 2028
District 7 Retail
Gladys Allen-Lippincott has been a NEC member since 1955 and has served on the Board since 1986 as part of a family legacy of Nueces Electric Co-op leadership. Mrs. Lippincott is a NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD), holds her Board Leadership Certification (BLC) and has received the distinguished Director Gold Certification. She has chaired or served on several committees including the Building Study, Annual Meeting, Scholarship, Nueces Electric Charities and Retail Market committees. Mrs. Lippincott was involved in the Co-op’s transition into retail competition and the creation of the retail division which has enabled the Co-op to successfully expand its membership. Mrs. Lippincott believes a NEC director is under an obligation of trust and confidence to those they represent and serve. She firmly recognizes, and has proven through her tenure, that the duty of a director is to act in good faith to ensure that the organization keeps within its authorized power and maintains its policies in the best interest of its members. Mrs. Lippincott looks forward to the challenges ahead to secure and maintain the lowest prices and continued growth possible. She retired as a manager of Texas Legal Support Services in 1996. Mrs. Lippincott is a member of the Corpus Christi Symphony Guild, the Violet Historical Society, the Art Museum of South Texas, the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center and St. Pius Catholic Church. Mrs. Lippincott resides in Corpus Christi and is the proud grandmother of twenty.
More Information
The NEC Board of Directors reviews districts every three years, as required by our bylaws.
Our Board of Directors meet on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the NEC Headquarters Office.
NEC prides itself on its director elections. The election process reflects one of the Seven Cooperative Principles - democratic member control: one member, one vote. Nueces Electric Cooperative is member-owned and is governed by a seven (7) person, member-elected board of directors. These directors represent the seven-member directorate districts of the cooperative. A portion of the co-op directorships stand for election each year - usually three districts. The board of directors determines the method for voting in the director election. For many years, the method of voting has been an in-person or proxy voting process which takes place in conjunction with the annual membership meeting. Relevant information about this meeting and the annual report appear in the Texas Co-op Power magazine. It is up to you, the members, to elect the directors best qualified to run your cooperative. There is no term limit for an NEC director, but he/she must complete the nomination process every three years and be re-elected by the members.
NEC's director nomination process begins each June as members in the districts up for election are invited, through the Texas Co-op Power magazine, to request petition packets to become candidates on the annual meeting director election ballot in accordance with the bylaws. Any NEC member in a district up for election may seek to become a candidate. Those members interested in becoming candidates may request and sign for an official petition form and instruction sheet. At least fifteen (15) signatures of qualified members within the voting district, received at the co-op by the designated deadline, are required to nominate a member from a district for the Board. If more than two candidates are nominated for a directorship, a primary election will be held in the district to select two candidates who will appear on the election ballot. At the annual membership meeting all members of NEC may vote to elect the new directors in the districts up for election. All members will receive a ballot by mail or attached to the Texas Coop Power Magazine. If members cannot attend the meeting, they may cast their vote by mailing in the ballot.
Directors are tasked with the development of governance policies and monitoring the financial health of the cooperative. In addition, they are charged with keeping up to date on industry trends, legislative actions, and other pertinent issues affecting cooperatives as well as representing the membership at cooperative related functions.
Director Compensation
Section 8. Compensation; Expenses.
(a) Directors shall not receive a salary for their services as such. However, subject to subsection (b) below and as determined by policy adopted by the Board, directors may receive a fee, which may include insurance benefits, for each day during which they attend meetings or otherwise perform duties on behalf of the Cooperative. Fees for otherwise performing their duties need not be the same as for attending meetings of the Board.
(b) For attending meetings and otherwise performing duties pursuant to authorization thereof by the Board, directors shall be advanced or reimbursed their related expenses actually and reasonably incurred and expended by them, in accordance with the same policy established by the board for advancement or reimbursement of expenses for Cooperative employees, except that the policy may be different as it relates to uses of personal automobile.
Each year NEC files IRS Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax). NEC is a 501(c) (12) organization under the IRS code. Form 990 has financial information for the cooperative in addition to a list of directors and the executive manager along with their annual compensation. This document is public information. The IRS regulations, which became effective on June 8, 1999, state that every organization required to file Form 990 annually is obligated to immediately provide copies of its three most recent 990s to anyone requesting them in person or send out copies within 30 days to any written request. You may request copies from NEC, download them via the link at left or Form 990s are also available from the IRS upon request at the district office where the forms would have been filed.
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