Jim Vermeer, vice president, business development, Corn Belt Power Cooperative, has been elected to serve as president of the board of directors of the National Rural Economic Developers Association.

Elected at NREDA’s annual meeting in November, Vermeer has previously served as first and second vice president. His term begins Jan. 1.

NREDA is a member organization dedicated to the advancement of rural economic development through education and networking opportunities.

Vermeer says, “NREDA creates a national focus on rural development through sharing of ideas and best practices. Networking with other rural developers from across the country provides a resource to help strengthen development in Iowa.”

Corn Belt Power, headquartered at Humboldt, is a generation and transmission electric cooperative providing power to nine electric cooperatives and one municipal cooperative that serve farms, rural residences, small towns and commercial/industrial members in 41 northern Iowa counties.