Bill Dowler represents Board District 2, which includes Van Wert County in Ohio. (See the district map online here.)
He was born 200 feet from his current home in Union Township in Van Wert, Ohio, where he has been a farmer for the last 52 years. He was the only boy in his family of three children. He is married to Kathy, his wife of 47 years. They have two boys and four grandkids.
How do you spend your free time?
I am an active member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Convoy and enjoy spending time at my grandkids' sporting events.
What is a fun or little-known fact about yourself?
In high school, my nickname was Dollar Bill.
Why did you want to become a PPEC trustee?
I was interested in helping to make PPEC a better co-op for the members.
What has being a trustee taught you?
Co-ops are anchored in the community, and that makes us all a co-op family.
Why do you think people should be involved in their electric company?
PPEC is a very large company with a lot of moving parts that members should understand.
What do you love most about your community?
The straight roads, fresh air and no mountains.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a farmer. When I was 15, I would come home from school and hop on the combine. I missed a lot of school in the spring and fall helping my dad in the fields.
What’s a motto you live by?
I have two: "Failing to plan is the same as planning to fail" and "A diamond is a chunk of coal that sticks to its job."
What are you most concerned about when you think of the electric industry in the future?
Climate change legislation is going to be a big topic.
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