Joseph Kohnen represents PPEC Board District 1, which includes Marion, Madison, Monroe, Preble, and Union Townships in Allen and Adams Counties, Indiana. (See the district map online here.)
He grew up in Wapakoneta, Ohio and was one of five boys in the family. Later in life, he moved to Monroeville, Indiana where he works as a software developer for Grain/Ag/Petroleum Industries. He is married to Carol (Gordon) from Payne, Ohio; they have three children and six grandchildren.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend my time on board work, traveling, playing golf, and coaching t-ball with my son. I am involved with church activities and enjoy playing poker.
What is a fun or little-known fact about yourself?
I was Mr. Future Business Leader of America (FBLA) for Ohio in 1972. I also finished first in state in FBLA Math competition in 1972.
Why did you want to become a trustee?
I wanted to give back to community by using my accounting and software background to help guide the decisions and direction of the co-op.
What has being a trustee taught you?
The electric industry is more complex and more political than I imagined. Staying educated is extremely important to understanding where the industry is headed and what issues are important to our co-op.
Why do you think people should be involved in their electric company?
Our politicians can dramatically affect our costs of doing business and create unnecessary barriers to our mission. The ACRE program is a great way to stay on top of political issues. Talents are also needed for the Round Up Board, the PPEC board of trustees, and all of our community efforts to keep our way of life intact.
What do you love most about your community?
Monroeville is a peaceful, friendly community full of people who care. It offers easy access to Fort Wayne amenities and a great place to raise kids and grandchildren.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I planned on being an officer in the Navy. (The draft influenced that plan and thankfully the draft was discontinued.) I also always wanted my own business, which is what I did for 27 years.
What’s a motto you live by?
As it relates to honesty, my dad always told me “Honesty is like pregnancy; you either are or you aren’t.” It taught me to always be honest no matter what.
What are you most concerned about when you think of the electric industry in the future?
Power reliability, costs, and the future of our very clean Cardinal Coal Plant being forced to close. Renewables are a great add-on to our power grid, but the intermittent nature means we need baseload generation or gigantic leaps in the size, duration, and cost of batteries. We all take our electric power for granted, but we have to protect it from the changes of political whims.
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