Hartzler Applauds President’s Selection of Tipton CEO to Lead USDA Rural Utilities Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) today applauded President Donald Trump’s intent to appoint Kenneth Johnson, the CEO and General Manager of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative in Tipton, to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service Administrator. Rep. Hartzler issued the following statement:

“Ken’s qualifications and experiences make him well suited to lead the Rural Utilities Service within USDA. He led the way in our state to deploy a fiber-to-the-home network to all of Co-Mo Co-op’s members without federal or state funding, providing gigabit internet, video, and voice services to nearly 16,000 subscribers. This has had a huge impact on my constituents. As we work to close the digital divide between those who have high-speed internet and those who do not, it is important to have leaders like Ken who have a real understanding of the technological challenges facing rural America and Missouri. I look forward to Ken’s leadership at the USDA to help provide quality broadband internet to our rural communities.”

Ken Johnson currently serves as the CEO and General Manager of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative in Tipton, MO where he has provided reliable electricity to the customers of Co-Mo’s multi-county service area and where he has also been an innovator by leading Co-Mo’s initiative to provide gigabit-speed internet to these rural communities.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), which Ken will lead, administers programs that provide much-needed infrastructure to rural communities. These include water and waste treatment, electric power, and telecommunications services. All of these services play a critical role in helping to expand economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for rural residents, especially in the Show Me State where an estimated 61% of Missourians do not have access to broadband internet. The House Agriculture Committee, on which Congresswoman Hartzler serves, oversees the Rural Utilities Services (RUS).

Kenneth Johnson’s Biography:

Mr. Johnson serves as General Manager/CEO of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative and President for Co-Mo Connect in Tipton, MO. Johnson is a director and past president for Central Electric Power Cooperative, a director for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives and served on the Executive and Legislative committees.  Johnson was General Manager for Twin Valleys PPD in Nebraska after beginning his career with the Nebraska Public Power District. He earned an undergraduate degree from Kearney State College, and is a graduate of the NRECA Robert I. Kabat Management Internship Program.  Ken grew up on a farm near Edgar, NE and has spent his life working and serving rural America.  He and his wife cherish spending time with their children and grandchildren.

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Interested members of the media may contact Anna Swick at anna.swick@mail.house.gov