*COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED AND DEGREES EARNED

Name of Institution                             Major                          Degree                         Date

Pittsburg State University                      Finance                        BBA                            1973

Cleveland Chiropractic College        Doctor of Chiropractic                                        1967

*PRESENT POSITION AND JOB DESCRIPTION

General Manager, Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc. and subsidiary Craw-Kan Communications, Inc.; Girard, KS  (1996 – Present)

*Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc. is the largest independent non-stock telephone company in Kansas. The company provides services to 14 counties in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma and has been a leader in utilizing new technologies.

 *EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 

1986 – 1996: Controller, Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Girard, KS

 1978 – 1986: Farmer; Operated family farm in Crawford County, KS and Vernon County, MO; Currently operate a cow/calf herd on pastureland and rent farm ground of the family farm.

1973 – 1978: Accountant, Midwest Distribution, Inc.; Fort Scott, KS

*This company was a nationwide trucking firm that went public in the 70’s and sold in the early 80’s.

1970 – 1973: Sekan Electric and McNally’s of Pittsburg

1968 – 1970: Combat Medic, United States Army; Vietnam

1966 – 1967: Chiropractor; Humansville, MO

*AWARDS

 1) Bronze Star – Vietnam

 2) Air Medal – for being deployed by helicopter in Vietnam on at least 25 combat missions that took heavy enemy fire or landed in areas of heavy enemy concentration

 3) Purple Heart
 

 4) Combat Medic for 12-Man Reconnaissance Team

*PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

 1) NTCA – National Telephone Cooperative Association

*Serves as a Trustee for the retirement and savings plan which is a benefit program offered by the association to its members. The trustees are competitively selected and appointed by the NTCA Board of Directors for three-year terms. Jerry is currently in his seventh year as a trustee. All trustees come from NTCA member systems and are telephone company owners, directors, or general managers. The total fund is approximately $1.4 billion and represents the retirement and savings of over 13,000 participating telephone employees. There are nine trustees on the committee. NTCA is made up of over 500 telephone companies throughout the United States. 

 2) SITA – State Independent Telephone Association, KS

*Past President and Director. The association actively promotes the well being of local telephone companies in Kansas and represents member companies before the Kansas Corporation Commission, Legislature, and Federal Communications Commission. Jerry currently serves on the State Legislative Committee. 

 3) MTIA – Missouri Telephone Independent Association

            *The association actively promotes the local telephone companies of Missouri.

 4) OTA – Oklahoma Telephone Association

            *The association actively promotes the local telephone companies of Oklahoma.

 5) TASK – Telephone Accountants Service Club of Kansas

*Past President and Past Board Member. The organization is a peer group of telephone accountants giving advice to individual companies. Meetings are held annually throughout Kansas.

*CURRENT CIVIC MEMBERSHIPS

1) Mirza Shrine Center

*Jerry is currently in his ninth year of a ten-year progressive line of officer responsibilities. The first five are appointed positions, and the last five are elected by the membership. Mirza has approximately 2000 members and is the local representation for an international network of 22 hospitals that provide expert, no-cost (to the patient) orthopedic and burn care to children under 18. The Shrine is, perhaps, best known for its colorful parades, its distinctive red fez, and its official philanthropy: Shriners Hospitals for Children.

*In 2004, Jerry will reign as Potentate, whose duties are comparable to those of the General Manager or CEO of a corporation. Jerry will be responsible for the office personnel and membership, ensuring that all by-laws, rules, and regulations are adhered to. He will represent the Mirza Shrine as spokesman at local, state, and international meetings and will promote the philanthropy of Shriners Hospitals for Children. It is a social organization to have fun and help children with orthopedic handicaps or burns.  

 2) Rural Water District #1; Girard, KS

            *Past Board Member

 3) Producers Cooperative Association; Girard, KS

            *Past Board Member

 4) Veterans of Foreign Wars; Pittsburg, KS

 5) American Legion, Arcadia; KS

*Past Adjutant

 6) Girard Masonic Lodge; Girard, KS

 7) Fort Scott Consistory; Ft. Scott, KS

  8) Girard Chamber of Commerce; Girard, KS

            *Representative member for Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

 9) Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce; Pleasanton, KS

            *Representative member for Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

10) Mirza Temple Uniformed Units; Pittsburg, KS

            *Past President, 1^st Vice President, and 2^nd Vice President

11) Royal Order of Jesters; Pittsburg, KS

12) Order of Quetzalcoatl; Pittsburg, KS

13) Kick-Off Club; Pittsburg, KS

14) International Legion of Honor; Pittsburg, KS

15) Hillbillies; Pittsburg, KS

16) 3 Wheelers; Pittsburg, KS

            *Past Captain

17) Gold Wing Road Riders Association

18) Arcadia Christian Church; Arcadia, KS

19) Supporter of East-West Shrine Bowl

*Football game held in Kansas to raise support and funds for the Shriners Hospitals

20) Crawford County Shrine Club; Pittsburg, KS

            *Officer Representative

21) Bourbon County Shrine Club; Ft. Scott, KS

22) Girard Alumni Association; Girard, KS

            *President, 1^st Vice President, 2^nd Vice President

            *Scholarship Committee – two years

*ARTICLES PUBLISHED

Craw-Kan’s Quarterly Newsletter, The Craw-Kan Connection

*FAMILY

Marilyn (Penachio) James, wife of 33 years. She is the Assistant Vice President and also a Loan Officer at Bank of America and has been employed there for 35 years. She also actively takes part in all Shrine functions. Marilyn was active in the Girard Alumni Association, as well.

Melissa (James) Coester, daughter. She graduated from Pittsburg State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Biology. She is currently an Area Supervisor for Key Rehabilitation, Inc. in Pittsburg and surrounding areas. She works in Long-Term Care, administering physical therapy.

Julye James, daughter. She graduated from Pittsburg State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree majoring in Marketing. She graduated in 2002 with a Masters of Business Administration degree. She currently works in the Accounts Receivable department at DaimlerChrysler Financial Services in Overland Park.  

Mackenzie Coester, granddaughter. She is nine months old.

Aaron Coester, son-in-law. He graduated from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Environmental Biology and minoring in Physical and Computer Sciences. He currently works for Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, Greenbush as a Programmer. He also installs software and trains users of participating school systems.