Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative Board of Trustees

Tom and his wife, Bina, have owned and operated the Sanders County Ledger in Thompson Falls since 1983. A 20-year member of the Thompson Falls City Council, Tom believes strongly that rural residents should participate in their community. Originally a director for Clark Fork Telecommunications, Tom became a Blackfoot Trustee in 2003 when CFT merged into the Cooperative. Currently serving as President of Blackfoot Communications, he has also served 12 years on national committees of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association. He is a nationally registered EMT, and volunteers with the Thompson Falls Ambulance Service. Tom and Bina are MSU-Bozeman graduates and avid Bobcat fans, joining their two sons, daughter and son-in-law for all the Bobcat home games.

Bill worked on the family ranch in Clinton until enlisting in the Navy in 1944. After working for both the Milwaukee and Northern Pacific Railroads, he began working for the Anaconda Company in 1954. After retirement, Bill was elected to the board of commissioners of the Clinton Irrigation District. He and his wife, Bess, helped solicit original Cooperative memberships in Clinton. Bill was appointed Trustee of District 6 in 1983.

Jim was born and raised in St. Ignatius. Following high school, he attended the Vo-Tech in Billings, and then returned home to work with his father, running the old Jesuit Fathers/Pack River Ranch. Jim began working for Lake County Bank in 1980 and has been there since. He moved to the Charlo area with his wife and daughter in 1999. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, golfing and NASCAR. Jim was appointed Trustee of District 7 in 2005.

Les was born and raised in southern Minnesota and moved with his family to Montana in 1975. Les and his wife, Sue, live in Potomac, where they raised their three sons. He and his brother own and operate the family ranch and logging business. Les is a volunteer fireman for the Greenough Potomac Volunteer Fire Department, and has also served on the church board and fire department board. Les was appointed Trustee of District 3 in April 2002.

Jim was born and raised in western South Dakota, where he worked his way through high school and college at a family-owned sawmill business. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Electrical Engineering, and began a 37-year electrical utility career in 1970 in Montana. During that time, Jim worked with Cooperatives in South Dakota, Wisconsin, Guatemala and Bolivia before returning to Montana in 1994. After 13 years with Missoula Electric Cooperative, he retired as Manager of Engineering in January 2008 to allow more time for family, hobbies and Blackfoot Telephone. Jim enjoys hunting, fishing, playing basketball, cartooning, making home improvements and being involved in community theatre. He has also served on church and school boards. Jim strongly believes in member-owned and controlled Cooperatives and the essential principles behind their success. He has been trustee of District 4 since December 2003, and lives with his wife, Cindy, in Arlee.

Geof attended the University of Montana, graduating with a degree in forestry. He then joined the U.S. Forest Service, and was stationed in Montana, Alaska and Washington before retiring in 1992. He was appointed to the Clark Fork Telecommunications Board of Directors in 1994, and served three terms as its President. Geof lives in Superior, and was appointed to the Blackfoot Board in 2003 and served five years as President of Blackfoot’s Board of Trustees.