Harold (Hal) T. Dandridge

Intercounty Electric, Sho-Me Power Electric, and Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives - Inducted in 2015

Hal Dandridge was first elected to the Intercounty Electric Board of Directors in 1988.  During his tenure, he also served as Intercounty’s representative on the boards of Sho-Me Power from 2005-2013 and the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. Hal voluntarily retired from the boards in 2013, after 25 years of board service. Hal’s leadership on cooperative boards followed his retirement from the U.S. Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, after 21 years of decorated military service.

Hal exemplified the best traits of a model board member, understanding both his legal and ethical responsibilities. He provided sound advice and counsel to management. He made strategic planning and financial health of the cooperative priorities. His heart was always in doing what was best for the cooperative members. Fellow board members respected Hal’s manner for presenting issues and conducting board meetings.

Hal was an exceptional mentor to new board members. He always had time to explain an issue in an unbiased manner so new directors could reach an informed decision. As Board Chair, Hal made sure all directors were informed and involved.

He is a strong proponent of education and training as well as an advocate for furnishing timely and accurate information to members. Hal is open to new ideas. Two anecdotes illustrate exemplary attributes of Hal’s leadership. During a time when Sho-Me Power faced significant rate increases from their power supplier, Hal ended up supporting the rate increase option that was best for the Sho-Me members as a whole, but had a somewhat negative impact on the net power cost from Sho-Me to Intercounty. It was a memorable vote that took personal courage, but it was the right thing to do for the Generation and Transmission Cooperative for which he was serving as a board member.  Similarly, Hal honored a “gentleman’s agreement” among board members of Intercounty to retire from the board at age 70 to allow younger cooperative members to share in the governance of the cooperative. Many directors, members and management employees urged Hal to stay beyond age 70, but Hal’s principles told him the right thing to do was to honor the precedent.

Beyond his service to cooperatives, Hal’s community service is lengthy including church elder, president of church board, founding trustee and village clerk for the Village of Plato, volunteer fire fighter, member of Masonic Lodge, and strong supporter of 4-H and FFA.

integrity; courageous board leadership; outstanding mentor; unbiased decision; commitment to members; unparalleled valor in service to community and nation