Meet MVEA’s Newest Board Member: Jim Beals, District 4

Mountain View Electric Association is pleased to welcome Jim Beals as the newest member of its Board of Directors, representing District 4. Jim’s journey to the boardroom is one shaped by a strong engineering background, decades of leadership in the energy sector, and a personal commitment to serving his community.

Raised in a small South Dakota town on his family’s farm and apiary, Jim learned early on the importance of reliable electricity for rural life. After earning a degree in Electrical and Software Engineering from South Dakota State University and an MBA from the University of New Mexico, he began a career that took him across the country. From serving as an Electronics and Software Engineer at Honeywell Defense Avionics to leading at Emerson Electric and later as COO of Edison IntelliGrid, Jim gained extensive experience in energy management, communications systems, and grid reliability. Along the way, he and his wife, Jan, lived in several states before deciding to settle in Colorado three years ago to be closer to their daughter’s family, especially their granddaughter.

Jim has always paired his professional life with service to others. He has volunteered and served on boards ranging from community theater to nonprofit organizations, and he views his new role at MVEA as an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way. “I was looking for a board to be involved with, and when I saw the open position at MVEA, I knew it was the right fit,” he said. “When I get involved with a cause, I like to go all in.”

As a director, Jim is passionate about helping MVEA modernize its distribution grid, supporting broadband expansion, and keeping members informed and engaged. He also sees the cooperative model as uniquely positioned to succeed because, as he puts it, “We don’t answer to profit or investors – we answer to our members. Our goal is simple: safe, reliable, affordable electricity, and service that puts people first.”

Outside of his board responsibilities, Jim enjoys woodworking, working with technology, trying new restaurants, and spending time with his daughter and granddaughter. A fun fact about his background: his high school graduating class in South Dakota had only 12 students, and his father was a beekeeper. He says he is most excited to spend his first year on the board learning the ins and outs of cooperative governance and working with fellow directors to shape MVEA’s strategy for the future.