Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
Steven O. Foss has over 38 years of experience as an electric cooperative employee in Kansas, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
Foss was hired in 2008 as the general manager of Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Cooperative (LJEC) and led the consolidation of LJEC and Kaw Valley Electric Cooperative into FreeState Electric Cooperative in 2017. Prior to coming to Kansas, Foss managed the business accounts sector for one of the largest electric cooperatives in the nation.
Foss holds a business degree from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as degrees in Electrical Technology and Architectural Design from North Dakota State College of Science.
He is an NRECA Management Internship Program graduate, an NRECA Certified Key Accounts Manager, and a Registered Master Electrician.
Foss has served on multiple industry boards, including executive officer positions for Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, and KSI Engineering. He also served on the Kansas Electric Cooperatives board. Steve currently serves on the City of Basehor Zoning Appeals board & Agape International Ministries board.
Mark Barbee
Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Mark R. Barbee is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo). Mr. Barbee has overall responsibility for the engineering and operational functions at KEPCo. This includes engineering, operational and technical oversight of KEPCo-owned generation, transmission service, EMS/SCADA systems, metering equipment, and communication systems. Mr. Barbee also participates in the development and implementation of the engineering and operational components of KEPCo’s power supply, strategic, and long-range plans.
Mr. Barbee is on the Board of Directors of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation, the Wolf Creek Switchyard Subcommittee, the Iatan 2 Owner/Operations Committee, and the Southwest Power Pool Market and Operations Policy Committee.
Mr. Barbee has over 35 years of engineering and operational experience in the electric power industry. Mr. Barbee came to KEPCo in 1997 from Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation where he spent ten years in various engineering and supervisory roles.
Mr. Barbee is a graduate of Kansas State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Kansas. Mr. Barbee and his wife, Natalie, have two grown children and six grandchildren.
Susan Cunningham
Sr. Vice President, Regulatory & Government Affairs, & General Counsel
Susan Cunningham is Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs and General Counsel for Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo). Ms. Cunningham has over 30 years of experience in the electric utility industry, including General Counsel with the Kansas Corporation Commission. Ms. Cunningham also worked as a staff attorney with Kansas City Power & Light Company (now Evergy) and, immediately prior to joining KEPCo in October 2018, was with the Kansas City law firm Dentons US LLP, representing utility clients on energy, telecommunications, and litigation matters in Kansas and Missouri.
In her current role, Ms. Cunningham serves as KEPCo’s in-house general counsel and, in addition to KEPCo’s legal functions, is responsible for the oversight of regulatory and government affairs, among other responsibilities. Additionally, Ms. Cunningham is counsel and assistant secretary to KEPCo’s Board of Trustees. Ms. Cunningham also serves in an advisory capacity on several committees with Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., the rural electric cooperative statewide association, and also participates on a number of committees at the national level.
Ms. Cunningham is involved with a couple of area organizations. Ms. Cunningham is a member of her local consolidated rural water district board, serving as board treasurer, and serves on the Northeast Kansas Race Against Breast Cancer board. She is a proud graduate of Leadership Kansas.
Ms. Cunningham received her undergraduate degree from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois, and her juris doctorate degree from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas.
Ms. Cunningham and her husband, David, reside near Topeka and have two children.
Coleen M. Wells
Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Coleen M. Wells is Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO of Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo). Ms. Wells is responsible for the development and administration of effective financing programs, accounting procedures, and reporting functions that satisfy the requirements of KEPCo’s members, management, financial institutions, and various jurisdictional agencies. Ms. Wells also develops the financial components of KEPCo’s strategic and operational budget and long-range plans.
Ms. Wells is on the Board of Directors of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation.
Ms. Wells has over 35 years of accounting and management experience, of which over 25 years have been with electric public utilities. Ms. Wells came to KEPCo in 1998 from Westar Energy where she was an Account Administrator.
Ms. Wells is a graduate of Kansas State University with a B.S. in Accounting and is licensed to practice as a C.P.A. in Kansas. Ms. Wells and her husband, Bob, have four children.
