2026 Member Meeting

October is National Co-op Month, and there is no better time to celebrate what makes Cass County Electric Cooperative different: our members.

The 2026 Member Meeting was a way to connect with cooperative leaders, hear what is happening across your electric cooperative, and learn more about the opportunities and challenges shaping our energy future.

As a member-owner, you are at the center of everything we do. This evening is an opportunity to stay informed, ask questions, and connect with the people working to serve you every day.

Details

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026

Event Schedule:

5:00 PM Registration and doors open

5:30 PM Member Meeting begins

Dinner is served following the start of the meeting

Registration Information:

This is a members-only event. Members may bring guests. No advance RSVP is required. Members and guests will register upon arrival before entering the meeting hall.

Dinner Menu:

Our menu will feature tender chicken breast with bacon gouda cheese sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and garden-fresh vegetables. We'll also have side salads with rolls, coffee, and water available throughout.

Location

Hilton Garden Inn
4351 17th Ave S, Fargo

2026 Speakers

Paul Matthys

Matthys serves as president and CEO of Cass County Electric Cooperative, where he leads the cooperative’s efforts to provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity while preparing for continued growth across southeastern North Dakota.

Born and raised in Cass County Electric’s service territory, Matthys brings a strong connection to the communities the cooperative serves. As president and CEO, he works closely with the board of directors and leadership team on long-term power supply planning, system growth, financial strategy, and emerging opportunities within the electric industry.

Matthys will discuss how Cass County Electric approaches large electric loads, including projects such as Applied Digital’s AI data center near Harwood. He will explain how the cooperative evaluates financial and operational risks, requires large-load customers to pay project-related costs and system upgrades, and uses financial safeguards to protect existing members. He will also address how these projects can support long-term rate stability.

Robert L. Mayo, Ph.D.

Robert L. Mayo, PhD, is a Research Specialist at the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University, a nonpartisan research institute. He holds a PhD and MA in Economics from George Mason University and a BA in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His recent research examines the regulation and economic effects of AI data centers. He is the author of "Data Center Regulation in the United States" and "AI Data Centers: What North Dakota Needs to Know."

Artificial intelligence has set off the largest wave of data center construction in history, and North Dakota is in the middle of it. Dr. Mayo will walk through what the research shows about the concerns people raise most often, including electric rates, water use, and noise, and what the state stands to gain. He will close with four questions that help tell a well-planned project from a poorly planned one.

Robert “Mac” McLennan

McLennan is president and CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative, a generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Minnkota provides wholesale electricity to 11 member-owned electric cooperatives serving eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

McLennan has more than 30 years of experience in the electric cooperative industry and has led Minnkota since 2011. His career has included leadership roles in member relations, external affairs, and environmental policy at the regional and national levels.

McLennan will discuss Minnkota’s energy strategy and provide an update on Project Tundra, an effort to develop carbon capture technology at the Milton R. Young Station near Center, North Dakota. He will also explain how the project fits into Minnkota’s plans to continue providing reliable, affordable electricity.