Board of Directors

William E. (Bill) Littrell of Jonesboro was elected to represent Union County.

He is an SIPC Board Member and retired minister at Countryside Christian Church in Vienna, IL, as well as a member of SIEC for over 40 years.

Bill graduated from Shawnee High School, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from University of Illinois with post graduate studies at Kentucky Christian University.

He’s lived in Union County over 60 years, where he has served the community as a past board member for Dongola Khourie League, Dongola High School board, Share and Care, Inc., Volunteer Illinois FFA Foundation,  and member of the Jonesboro School Athletic Booster Club as well as the Anna-Jonesboro High School Booster Club.  Currently he serves as Member Director of Union County Soil and Water Conservation District, board member Kornthal Historic Preservation, and Director of Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative.

Bill enjoys spending time with his family and especially his grandchildren, working on the farm, serving at church and following University of Illinois sports.

Scott L. Ury of Anna was elected to represent Union County in August 1999 to fill the unexpired two-year term of his late father, Bob J. Ury.

Scott is a lifetime resident of Union County where he owns a livestock farm.  He retired as an electrician from Choate Mental Health Center in Anna.

He and his wife Carolyn have one daughter and two grandchildren. Although Ury is a lifetime member of Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna, he also regularly attends Southern Range Cowboy Church in Goreville.

Jerry P. Thurston, of Pulaski, was appointed in June 2020 to fill the Pulaski County vacancy on the board of directors following nomination by the nominating committee.

Jerry is a lifelong resident of Pulaski County and has been an SIEC member for 35 years. He attended Meridian High School, Shawnee Community College, and is currently the owner-operator of Spring Valley Farm in Pulaski.  Jerry has been active in the community as a former Pulaski County Commissioner, with the Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone, Shawnee Development Council, and Pulaski County Development Association.  In addition, Jerry served as the Fire Chief for the Village of Pulaski for more than 25 years.

Jerry and his wife Lisa have three children, Nathan, Andrew, and Rachel, and one granddaughter, Violet.  His hobbies include gardening, restoring and showing Case tractors, collecting farm-related antiques, and spending time with family.

Kim L. Bakehouse, of Metropolis, Illinois, was elected to the SIEC Board of Directors in August of 2023.

Kim worked for 44 years at Electric Energy Inc. (EEI) power plant in Joppa, Illinois and he believes that his experience in the electric industry makes him a viable candidate for this position. Following his retirement in 2022, he transitioned to crop farming full-time.

When asked why he wanted to be a director at SIEC, he responded, “For me, the cooperative has always been around and provided good service to its members.” In addition to cooperative reliability, he also mentioned the strong ties SIEC has to the communities it serves immediately came to mind. Kim’s grandfather, Lewis Johnson, actually served as chairman on the original Cooperative Board of Directors, which is one reason he feels a responsibility and excitement to serve the membership of Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative, following in his grandfather’s footsteps.

Kim has also previously served on the Soil & Water Conservation Board as Chairman, as well as being an active FFA Alumni at Massac Community High School. As a Director, Kim said he would value honesty and integrity above all else, ensuring that he continues to learn about the industry and serves the membership here in southern Illinois to the best of his ability.

Lamar Houston, Jr., of Tamms, was appointed by the Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative Board of Directors to represent Alexander County.

Lamar is a lifelong resident of Alexander County, attended Egyptian High School, Shawnee Community College, and retired from Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative with forty years of service. He is active in the community having served on many boards, including JAMP Special Education Services, Alexander County Board of Commissioners, Tamms Village Board, and Egyptian School Board.  Lamar is also a member of American Legion Post 178 Honor Guard Team in Villa Ridge.

He is married to Connie and they have three children, and four grandchildren. In his free time, Lamar enjoys bowling.

Scott Miller, of Tamms, was elected to represent Alexander County.

He is a farmer and has been a member of SIEC since 1978.

Scott graduated from Egyptian High School. He is a Sunday school teacher and an assistant Sunday school director Sandy Creek Baptist Church.  He is a member of Farm Bureau, National Corn Growers Association and a former Farm Service Agency County Committee Chairman.

Hunting, traveling, snow skiing and spending time with family are Scott’s hobbies. He is married to Cheryl and they have two children, Kristin and Joshua, and four grandsons and a granddaughter.

Randall “Randy” Rushing of Metropolis was elected to represent Massac County. Randy and his wife, Kathy, have been SIEC members since 1987.  They have two grown children, Zachary and Amanda and three grandchildren.

Randy graduated from Metropolis Community High School and received two Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance from Southern Illinois University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Murray State University.

Randy is a self-employed as a CPA and very active in the community. He is a current board member of Shawnee Community College Board of Trustees, The Illinois Workforce Innovation Board, and The Massac-Metropolis Port District.  He has served as Past President of the Massac Unit One School District, and the Metropolis Area Chamber of Commerce.  He also served on the Massac County Hospital District Board for many years.

Toni Snell, of Cypress, is an RN at Choate Mental Health Center in Anna.  She obtained her degree in nursing and applied science through Shawnee Community College.  Toni and her late husband, Tom, had four children: Matt, Becky, Jennie and Jodie.  She enjoys spending time with her family including 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren!  In her spare time, she likes to travel abroad, go antique furniture shopping, and takes great pride in sending care packages to her grandson Amos Rutherford and his fellow service men and women in the United States Navy, stationed aboard the U.S.S. Reagan.

Toni has been an SIEC member for 50 years!