The Clayton County Energy District (CCED) extends our heartfelt gratitude to Ron Kaiser of Garnavillo for his years of leadership and service as a founding board member since our inception in 2016.
Ron helped establish the CCED, one of the first replications of the pioneering Winneshiek Energy District model, which has since grown into a regional network of 15 locally led County Clean Energy Districts. The Energy District model itself is rooted in the vision of the Depression-era creation of locally led, federally empowered Soil and Water Conservation Districts, which brought community-driven stewardship to every county in the nation. Ron understood from the start that local, accountable, and people-powered leadership is just as vital for the clean energy transition as it was for conservation generations ago.
A retired dairy farmer, artist, woodcarver, and solar owner, Ron brought a grounded and creative perspective to CCED’s early years. Representing the Clayton County Garnavillo Prairie region, he connected the Energy District’s mission with neighbors, farmers, and community members across the county.
In his own words, Ron once said, “Customer-owned electricity generation is a very important part of the Ratepayer Bill of Rights. We should be able to produce and sell!” His plainspoken advocacy for fairness, reliability, and local control inspires our mission for a clean, local, and equitable energy future.
Please join us in thanking Ron Kaiser for a decade of dedication, insight, and community connection. His leadership helped shape not only the foundation of the Clayton County Energy District but also the ongoing movement to empower every US county to own its energy future.