Jeff Rathell was elected Chairman of the Board of Choptank Electric Cooperative in April of 2018. Jeff serves on the Board as the representative of Talbot County.
Jeff is the President and General Manager of Rathell Sales and Service, LLC, a farm equipment dealership in Easton Maryland. Jeff took over his father’s business in 1995; he grew sales from $3 million to an average of $12 million annually over 21 years. Jeff formed Rathell Sales and Services, LLC in 2018, featuring Deutz and Kioti tractors and Bad Boy lawnmowers. Rathell Sales and Services also offers agricultural services, lawn and garden, specialty turf equipment and supplies.
Jeff was born and raised in Cordova, Maryland. He grew up working in the family farm equipment business. After graduating from Easton High School, he obtained an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, Maryland.
Jeff currently serves on the boards of Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Services for Aero Energy and Talbot County Farm Bureau. He has served on the Talbot County Solar Array Committee and the LEAD Maryland Foundation Board.
Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, especially his ten grandchildren. Community involvement is also important to Jeff. He donates his time, employees’ time and equipment each year to several county fairs, tractor pulls and many other events.
Amy Ireland Brandt
Caroline County
Amy Ireland Brandt, a true local of Caroline County, graduated Valedictorian from North Caroline High School. As a junior at NCHS, she participated in Choptank Electric Cooperative’s Youth Tour program, a week long summer leadership program in Washington, D.C. designed to educate young adults on the cooperative business model as well as the legislative process of our government. Mrs. Brandt went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park.
As a Certified Public Accountant, with over 20 years’ experience in public accounting, she is a partner in Accounting Strategies Group, LLC. She is in charge of the accounting and auditing division, as well as the firm’s quality control. The firm owns two offices in Preston and Centreville.
She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Caroline County Public Library, which is appointed by the Caroline County Commissioners.
Living in Denton with her husband Nick and three daughters: Macy (14), Taryn (11) and Kenie (7), she enjoys spending her time with family, watching her children participate in their many activities, and attending a variety of sporting events.
As a lifelong resident of Caroline County, Mrs. Brandt learned from a young age about the cooperative principles and its business model, which gave her first-hand experience in the Co-op world. She sees the importance of the cooperative to this community and would like to be a part of its continued success on the Eastern Shore.
John J. Burke Jr. , Vice Chairman
Cecil County
John Burke was appointed to the Choptank Electric Cooperative Board of Directors in March of 2010, to represent Cecil County. John has received NRECA certificates for Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board Leadership. He was elected to the role of Board Secretary and Treasurer in April 2014. In April 2018, he was elected to be Vice-Chairman.
John also served on the board of Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Services, a jointly-owned subsidiary of Choptank and served as Secretary and Treasurer until September 2016. In July 2016 he was elected to the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) Board of Directors, Choptank’s energy provider and serves as Choptank Electric’s Director representative.
John earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, where he majored in Industrial Relations and Organization Behavior. He attended graduate school at Temple University's MBA program with a concentration in finance. He served in the United States Navy from 1977 to 1981 and attained the rank of Quartermaster 2'd class.
John is an Associate Broker for Gunther McClary Real Estate, with offices in Cecilton and Rock Hall, conducting real estate brokerage primarily in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's counties. He has served on several non-profit boards in Kent and Cecil counties with business, school, and community service focus. He and his wife, Terry, have two adult children, Christine and John III. They have lived in Warwick since 1993 and have been Co-op members since then.
John and his family enjoy boating on the Chesapeake Bay and traveling.
Olin S. Davis III
Kent County
A board member since 1989, Davis is a partner in Rich Levels Grain, Inc. and Rich Levels Poultry, LLC in Galena. He has achieved the Credentialed Director Certification, Board Leadership Certification, and has attained the Gold Director Achievement. Davis has previously served as Choptank Electric's Board Secretary/Treasurer and was the Board Chairman for five years. Davis also served on the Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Associations of Electric Cooperatives board for eight years, including two years as their Board Chairman.
Robert B. Thompson
Ocean Pines District
Bob Thompson was elected to the Choptank Electric Cooperative Board of Directors in April of 2017, to represent the Ocean Pines community. Bob is also the Director of Operations for CoreLife, providing oversight and direction over all aspects of the clinics affiliated with its largest healthcare partner, Peninsula Regional Medical Center. His goal is to maintain a high quality of care through CoreLife’s medical, nutritional, behavioral and fitness objectives.
A savvy, innovative C-Level Executive, Bob Thompson is recognized throughout the industry for 25+ years of operations management experience, leadership, and financial abilities. He has been selected by numerous organizations to integrate key changes and expand market presence. Throughout his career, Bob has earned the reputation of a strong, dynamic leader by managing and motivating up to 375 employees. He utilizes his exceptional training abilities to drive top employee performance and maximize operational productivity.
Since 2017, Bob has committed himself to the growth of OC Aquafit, a new health and wellness facility. He has spearheaded business/financial planning, budget management, human resources, and programming in order to provide an exemplary experience for the local community.
Bob previously worked for the Ocean Pines Association, 1st Mariner Mortgage and served in the United States Air Force for 15 years, reaching the position of Chief Master Sergeant. As a committed member of the local community, Bob serves as the Finance Committee Chair for the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club and is a Member/Chapter President/State President of the Maryland Red Knights.
Bob and his wife, Missi, have three children – Rachel, Bobby, and Nick. In his spare time, Bob enjoys coaching, running, lifting, adventure racing and other recreational sports.
Douglas D. Scott, Secretary-Treasurer
Dorchester County
A board member since 2013, Douglas D. Scott resides near Hurlock and is owner and president of Walnut Hill Farms, a family farming operation. Scott currently serves as chairman of the Finance, Budget and Audit Committee. He serves as Treasurer and Executive Board member of Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Solutions, a for profit subsidiary of Choptank Electric Cooperative. He has achieved Credentialed Director Certification and is also a director with Mid Atlantic Farm Credit.
Matthew R. Holloway
Wicomico County
A board member since 2014, he resides in Salisbury where he operates Quantico Creek Sod Farms, Inc. and Baywater Greens, LLC. He also served on the Wicomico County Council from 2010-2018 and was a director for the Maryland Association of Counties from 2014 - 2018.
Donna Richardson West
Worcester County
Donna Richardson West was appointed to represent Worcester County on September 25, 2018.
Ms. West graduated from Snow Hill High School in 1976 and attended Wor-Wic Community College.
An Eastern Shore native, Ms. West is embedded into the local Worcester County community. As daughter of Fay and Roger Richardson, she has worked on her family’s farm her entire life and has seen all aspects of the business, where she provides support in daily operations. She has been the Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer for Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church since 2000, Campaign Treasurer for Senator Jim Mathias since 2006, and has been on the Board of Directors for Snow Hill Christian Nursery School from 2001-2004 and then again from 2013 to the present.
Engaged to Mr. Kenneth Lambertson Sr., she has three grown children and nine grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes spend time with her family, be on the water either boating or jet skiing, travel, and watch sporting events.
Robert E. Arnold
Queen Anne's County
Robert Arnold is the representative for Queen Anne's County. He is the owner of Arnold Farms, LLC, a vegetable growing business, and has been a Choptank Electric Member since 1988. Mr. Arnold has served on the by-law review committee, the irrigation committee, and chaired the executive compensation committee. He has also completed the NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director Program. In the community, Bob is active in his church, his son's school, and is a past president of Queen Anne's County Farm Bureau.
As president of Queen Anne's County Farm Bureau, Bob was in charge of the last Delmarva Chicken Festival hosted on the Eastern Shore. He has also been recognized by the Maryland Food Bank as "Farmer of the Year" for his contributions to the hungry in Maryland. The accomplishment that Bob is most proud of, is the award his family received last year as one of two families chosen to receive the "Queen Anne's Farm Family of the Year." As a Director Bob recognizes the vital role that Choptank plays in the communities it serves and strives to represent all its members fairly and equitably. Mr. Arnold, his wife Sarah, and sons Bobby, Peter, and Brian reside on Double Creek Road.
Craig N. Mathies Sr.
Somerset County
Craig Mathies was appointed to the Choptank Electric Cooperative Board of Directors in December of 2019, to represent Somerset County.
Craig has been a Somerset County resident for over 51 years. Educated in the Somerset County Public School System, he graduated from Crisfield High School, and attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, receiving a Bachelor of Arts from Norfolk Theological Seminary. He received his Master’s Degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in 2014 and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry Program at Chicago Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL.
Craig had a career in the automotive business as a Salesman and Finance and Sales Manager. He is presently the Pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Cambridge. Craig is also President of the Somerset County Commissioners, representing District 1. Active in many community and civic organizations, Craig is married to Clarice Mathies, a retired Somerset County educator and has two children, Erica Mathies Jackson, and Craig N. Mathies Jr. Craig’s mother, Shellie Mathies, is also a retired Somerset County educator.
