Meet Dan Cooper, the new economic development strategist at Great River Energy.

For Dan Cooper, economic development means helping people find real solutions to everyday challenges. Before joining Great River Energy, he worked as a volunteer firefighter, journeyman lineman, distribution line staker, business owner and business development manager. Through these roles, he learned how rural communities operate, what businesses need and how electric cooperatives can support local economic growth.

Now, at 36, Cooper brings all of that experience to Great River Energy and its member-owner cooperatives in his role as an economic development strategist.

“I want to work on any project, large or small, with our cooperatives to make an impact,” Cooper said. “Some projects that may seem small for one cooperative are huge for another.”

Cooper’s background gives him a practical understanding of the communities Great River Energy’s member cooperatives serve. He has worked in the field, run a small business, supported commercial members and helped finance projects. He aims to use this experience to help cooperatives find new opportunities in their areas.

Dan grew up around rural industry

Cooper grew up near Hermantown, Minnesota, in a big family with nine brothers and three sisters. His father spent over 33 years working as a mechanic in the mines on Minnesota’s Iron Range.

The Cooper family has strong ties to the electric industry. Dan is a journeyman lineman, three of his brothers are also journeyman linemen and another brother is now in line school.

After finishing high school in Hermantown, Cooper went to what is now Minnesota North College and earned an associate degree in fire technology and administration. He became a nationally registered EMT and volunteered as a firefighter for four years.

These experiences shaped how he thinks about serving his community.

“I missed helping rural communities and spending time with people,” Cooper said. “I was always looking for ways to continue that work with different skills.”

Later, one of his older brothers suggested he try line work. Cooper attended Dakota County Technical College, earned his line worker diploma and started his electric cooperative career as an apprentice lineman at Conexus Energy, then a Great River Energy member cooperative.

He later joined Lake Country Power (LCP), another member cooperative of Great River Energy’s, where he worked as a lineman and earned his journeyman status.

Dan learned the cooperative business from the field

Cooper later took on a line staking role at LCP. This job let him use his field experience while working in engineering and operations.

In 2019, Cooper and his wife started a hunting and fishing apparel business. Running the company gave him firsthand experience with the challenges business owners face, like financing, operations and making tough decisions with limited resources. This experience led him to his next career step.

In 2022, Cooper became a key account and business development manager at LCP. Over the next four years, he worked with commercial members, helped manage financing and took on economic and community development projects across the cooperative’s service area.

This role gave Cooper a wider perspective on how electric cooperatives can help local economies grow.

“I really enjoy working with people and solving problems,” he said. “Even sales and growing load is fun when you can help bring a project to a small area.” During this time, Cooper also earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He has recently started working toward a Master of Business Administration at Bemidji State University.

Dan has seen economic development work firsthand

Cooper brings more than just an interest in economic development to Great River Energy. He has seen firsthand how targeted projects can make a difference in rural communities.

In one project he worked on, Cooper and his colleagues helped bring a daycare facility to Tamarack, Minnesota. They secured nearly $500,000 to renovate an old schoolhouse and create a new childcare center.

For Cooper, the value of that project went beyond the financing.

“You can drive past this small community that did not have daycare and now it does,” he said. “Being able to have a measurable impact, whether that’s economic or community services, is what I’m looking for.”

In another project, Cooper helped arrange two low-interest loans totaling nearly $700,000 for a manufacturer in Remer, Minnesota. This funding allowed the company to buy equipment, expand and stay in the community.

Cooper also helped secure financing for an all-electric, handicap-accessible resort and supported rebate projects that helped community organizations improve energy efficiency.

These projects show the variety of work Cooper wants to do with Great River Energy’s member cooperatives. Economic development might mean bringing in a major employer, helping a business grow or finding funding for a community facility.

Dan sees economic development as member service

Cooper’s time as a lineman also shapes how he approaches economic development.

When a cooperative adds a large electric customer, the benefits go beyond just that account. More electric load can increase cooperative margins, which means more resources for equipment, infrastructure and operations. New commercial and industrial customers can also create jobs and support the local economy.

For Cooper, this connection makes economic development part of the cooperative’s larger responsibility to its members.

“I want to understand the needs of those cooperatives and take some experience and put some effort into community and economic development,” he said.

He starts by learning what each cooperative needs. A project that works for one member might not be right for another. Local workforce, available sites, infrastructure, financing and community priorities all shape what’s possible. Cooper plans to work with cooperative leaders to find these opportunities and see where Great River Energy can help.

Dan wants to build relationships first

Cooper’s main priority is simple: get to know Great River Energy’s member cooperatives. He wants to learn about their communities, businesses and economic development goals before taking on bigger projects. This means listening to cooperative leaders and learning where support can make the biggest difference.

“My short-term goal is to build strong relationships and trust so we can take on big projects and make a real impact in each member service area,” Cooper said. Over time, he hopes these relationships will lead to projects that bring lasting economic benefits.

This could mean helping a cooperative attract a large electric user, supporting a manufacturer that wants to grow or helping a community solve a childcare shortage or another service gap.

Dan brings a personal connection to rural communities

Cooper’s dedication to rural economic development comes from his own background.

His family relied on his father’s job as a mine mechanic. He saw firsthand how changes in a resource-based economy affected families and communities. When the mines were busy, his father worked long hours. When things slowed down, the impact was felt at home.

These experiences taught Cooper early on how important local jobs and community services are.

“I want to continue to do that for others,” he said. “I grew up in a rural community and had people help me along the way, so I want to continue helping others.”

This connection is one reason Cooper sees electric cooperatives as key partners in rural economic development. Cooperatives have a long-term presence in their communities and know what their members need. He wants to build on that foundation.

Dan looks toward the next opportunity

As Cooper starts his work at Great River Energy, he is focused on learning, building relationships and finding ways his experience can help.

His career has given him different perspectives on the same communities. He understands what line crews do, what business owners need, the challenges of financing and the responsibilities of a cooperative serving rural members.

Now, he can bring all those perspectives together.

“I’d like to look back and go, ‘I really made a positive impact on our region,’” Cooper said.

For Great River Energy’s member cooperatives, that work starts with a conversation. Whether the opportunity involves business expansion, new development, financing, community services or a potential large electric customer, Cooper wants to understand what each cooperative is trying to accomplish and help identify practical ways to move projects forward.

Contact Dan Cooper to discuss your next opportunity

Great River Energy member cooperatives can contact Dan Cooper to discuss economic and community development opportunities in their service territories. He is ready to learn more about local priorities, identify potential resources and work with cooperatives on projects that can create economic value for members and their communities.