2022 Trustee Candidates

Mark Wulfkuhle (I), Lawrence 

Mark Wulfkuhle has been a cooperative member since 1980 and a trustee for more than 10 years.  

Wulfkuhle has completed management, analysis, and strategic think programs, as well as the Premier Governance Series for Farm Credit Services. He also earned Credentialed Cooperative Director status through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.  

A Berryton native and area farmer and rancher, Wulfkuhle knows the members he serves.  

“I chaired the governance committee during the consolidation, and currently serve as the board vice-chair,” said Wulfkuhle, who also serves as a trustee representative on the Kansas Electric Power Cooperative (KEPCo) board. “I have enjoyed being able to serve our members. Members are the foundation of our cooperative.” 

Wulfkuhle is involved in many community organizations. He is a past Douglas County 4-H leader, serves in leadership positions for Frontier Farm Credit, Kansas Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Services of America, and is the East Kansas No-Till Alliance Chair to name a few. 

Ralph Phillips (I), Mayetta

Phillips has been a cooperative member for 48 years; 36 of those he has also served as a trustee. He recently retired from ownership of Phillips Dairy. 

Phillips has served on numerous boards including Mid-Am Dairy Coop, the DFA area council, and the Jackson County Farm Bureau Board. He has also served as the president of the Kansas Electrical Cooperative Board. 

During his service on the Board, Phillips has witnessed many changes. He enjoys working with the other board members to make decisions that benefit the member-owners of the cooperative and continues to make FreeState one of the most progressive boards in the state. 

He and his wife Phyllis live in rural Mayetta. They are parents to 5 children who have blessed them with 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  

“Right now, I am very excited about the future of the electric industry and cooperatives as a whole. In my time of serving, we continue to take strides to make sure each member is provided with the product they need with the service they have come to expect. I have always felt that our board has put members as the priority and will continue to do just that.” 

Gary Coleman, Valley Falls

Gary Coleman has been a cooperative member for 20 years. As the retired executive vice president and senior lending officer of Kendall State Bank, Coleman understands the importance of financial stability. 

“I am eager to participate and now have the time to contribute and add value to FreeState’s board of trustees,” Coleman said. “I’m willing to learn, bring fresh ideas, and be prepared, dependable, and educate and represent the constituents to the best of my ability.”  

Coleman served the Kendall State Bank board. Currently, Coleman serves his community on the Valley Falls Historical Society Executive Board as treasurer, the Valley Falls Rotary Club treasurer and past president, and the Valley Falls Methodist Church Capital Improvement Board.  

Coleman formally served as a Cubmaster, summer league coach, and coordinator of the co-rec summer softball league. He was the Kansas Banker’s Association Key Banker for the Jefferson County Conservation Awards and served the Kansas Bankers Association Ag Lending Committee (board).  

He currently serves on the Kansas Hunter Education Advisory Committee. 

Jami Heinen, Valley Falls

Jami Heinen has been a cooperative member for six years and is an area realtor, as well as the director of operations at Med Services.  

Heinen is an active community member and committed to supporting and improving life in rural Kansas and says being a trustee would allow her the opportunity to advocate for her community. She would work to educate members of all generations on the programs and services the cooperative provides.  

“Being elected to the board would be a welcome challenge,” Heinen says. “Educating myself, beyond being a member, is important to be a successful member of the board. It’s a priority for me to be able to not only seek the answer but make sure the member gets an answer back in a timely manner.” 

Heinen has previously served on the Valley Falls Recreation Commission, and currently serves the Valley Falls Athletic Association and the Valley Falls USD 338 Site Council.  

She is also actively involved in the St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Church as a religious education teacher and a member of the Altar Society. She is a leader with the Valley Victors 4-H Club, the Valley Falls Chamber of Commerce, and owns DirtRoad JunkFest. She is also a member of the Sunflower Association of Realtors.   

Karol Lohman, Leavenworth

Karol Lohman has been a cooperative member for 40 years.  

As a retired K-State Research and Extension agent, Karol understands the needs of the area in a unique way. Lohman is a firm believer in community service as a way to improve the quality of life. Her approach to educating and serving members is to be available and visible.  

“The privilege of having rural electricity is something that I understand is more than just a service, it is a lifeline to our way of life,” said Lohman. “It gives us a quality of life that is priceless, and it is a product we have to protect for years to come.”  

Lohman understands representing constituents requires serving them in ways that involve more than just attending meetings, and that being active in the community is an important way to connect and engage with fellow members.  

Lohman currently serves on the board for Rural Water District No. 9 in Leavenworth County. She is also active with the Leavenworth County Fair Board, livestock committee, Master Gardner program, and is an active volunteer for Leavenworth County 4-H. She has experience with the Leavenworth County Extension Council as a former agent, and also a former general manager of an equity cooperative, and the Leavenworth County Cooperative.