Nonprofit · EIN 41-0155615
BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION
Also known as BENCO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Tax-exempt · MANKATO, MN 56002
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $56,362,273 | $56,996,912 | -$634,639 | $151,671,612 | $86,114,291 | $65,557,321 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $53,219,210 | $53,182,845 | $36,365 | $146,455,162 | $86,283,716 | $60,171,446 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $53,900,086 | $53,860,781 | $39,305 | $144,377,847 | $86,855,575 | $57,522,272 |
| December 31, 2021 | 990 | $49,683,649 | $45,893,377 | $3,790,272 | $123,765,879 | $75,410,095 | $48,355,784 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $0
- Program service revenue
- $53,235,352
- Investment income
- $42,447
- Net rental income
- $26,080
- Net gain from sales of assets
- -$512,928
- Net income from sales of inventory
- -$67,818
- Other revenue
- $3,084,474
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Benefits paid to members
- $7,555,767
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $816,714
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $816,714
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Depreciation
- $4,777,405
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $146,455,162
- Total assets, end of year
- $151,671,612
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $86,114,291
- Net assets, end of year
- $65,557,321
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $109,541,203
- Gross unrelated business income
- $33,331
- Gross receipts
- $57,308,024
- Employees
- 40
- Volunteers
- 0
- Year formed
- 1937
- State of legal domicile
- MN
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID SUNDERMAN | CEO Officer | 40 | $297,810 | $176,678 |
| TIM BRAULICK | OPERATIONS & ENGINEERING MANAGER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $168,720 | $76,085 |
| PAUL CUMBEE | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $138,889 | $100,798 |
| SCOTT BOHLKE | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $138,602 | $83,148 |
| DUANE HAGEN | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $146,967 | $64,932 |
| CHRISTOPHER BECTHOLD | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $142,936 | $65,073 |
| ABBY DAHMS | FINANCE MANAGER Officer | 40 | $139,042 | $60,419 |
| WARREN SCOTT JOHNSON | VICE PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 9.81 | $20,960 | $0 |
| DON WESTPHAL | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 9.47 | $19,425 | $0 |
| TERRANCE GENELIN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 7.98 | $18,190 | $0 |
| BRADLEY LEIDING | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.81 | $17,650 | $0 |
| DAVID LEIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 7.9 | $15,135 | $0 |
| BLAKE MESHKE | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 5.71 | $13,755 | $0 |
| GARY STENZEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 7.69 | $13,685 | $0 |
| MARILYN LYNCH | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.92 | $8,970 | $0 |
3 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN WELLS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.6 | $5,860 |
| JOEL LUEHMANN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 8.94 | $4,585 |
| DUANE EHRICH | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.4 | $4,550 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 16 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID SUNDERMAN | CEO Officer | 40 | $279,672 | $157,023 |
| TIM BRAULICK | OPERATIONS & ENGINEERING MANAGER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $158,828 | $62,171 |
| DUANE HAGEN | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $143,103 | $52,473 |
| CHRISTOPHER BECTHOLD | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $133,530 | $56,636 |
| CLAY HILL | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $142,971 | $43,041 |
| ABBY DAHMS | FINANCE MANAGER Officer | 40 | $132,899 | $52,410 |
| NICK SMITH | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $130,639 | $30,377 |
| TERRANCE GENELIN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 10.4 | $19,350 | $0 |
| BRADLEY LEIDING | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 7.87 | $19,115 | $0 |
| WARREN SCOTT JOHNSON | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 7.9 | $17,425 | $0 |
| DON WESTPHAL | VICE PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 7.77 | $15,830 | $0 |
| MARILYN LYNCH | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 7.48 | $14,785 | $0 |
| JOHN WELLS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 7.21 | $14,290 | $0 |
| GARY STENZEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.13 | $12,195 | $0 |
| BLAKE MESHKE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 4.98 | $11,445 | $0 |
| DUANE EHRICH | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5.77 | $10,830 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 16 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID SUNDERMAN | CEO Officer | 40 | $269,814 | $143,016 |
| TIM BRAULICK | OPERATIONS & ENGINEERING MANAGER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $151,125 | $58,504 |
| PAUL CUMBEE | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $127,887 | $69,930 |
| KIM HANSON | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $129,825 | $56,527 |
| DUANE HAGEN | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $137,104 | $48,011 |
| SCOTT BOHLKE | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $125,359 | $53,449 |
| ABBY DAHMS | FINANCE MANAGER Officer | 40 | $126,422 | $49,935 |
| TERRANCE GENELIN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 10.12 | $18,160 | $0 |
| WARREN SCOTT JOHNSON | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 8.62 | $17,665 | $0 |
| BRADLEY LEIDING | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 6.46 | $17,365 | $0 |
| DON WESTPHAL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.8 | $15,660 | $0 |
| GARY STENZEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.63 | $12,545 | $0 |
| MARILYN LYNCH | VICE PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 7.42 | $12,045 | $0 |
| BLAKE MESHKE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 4.67 | $10,910 | $0 |
| DUANE EHRICH | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5.77 | $10,275 | $0 |
| JOHN WELLS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 4.17 | $9,890 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2021: 16 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID SUNDERMAN | CEO Officer | 40 | $243,773 | $284,657 |
| TIM BRAULICK | OPERATIONS & ENGINEERING MANAGER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $137,733 | $79,150 |
| PAUL CUMBEE | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $114,708 | $75,137 |
| DUANE HAGEN | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $126,175 | $50,974 |
| CHRISTOPHER BECTHOLD | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $117,043 | $54,756 |
| CLAY HILL | CREW CHIEF Highest-paid employee | 40 | $124,343 | $46,082 |
| ABBY DAHMS | FINANCE MANAGER Officer | 40 | $113,786 | $50,767 |
| DON WESTPHAL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.46 | $15,105 | $0 |
| WARREN SCOTT JOHNSON | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 5.31 | $14,310 | $0 |
| MARILYN LYNCH | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 7.42 | $14,165 | $0 |
| BLAKE MESHKE | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 6 | $13,755 | $0 |
| JOHN WELLS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 7.21 | $13,350 | $0 |
| TERRANCE GENELIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 6.62 | $13,115 | $0 |
| BRADLEY LEIDING | VICE CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 5.21 | $12,520 | $0 |
| GARY STENZEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 4.98 | $10,515 | $0 |
| DUANE EHRICH | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5.48 | $9,465 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 8, MANKATO, MN 56002-0008
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- CHANCE BRISCOE, PO BOX 8, MANKATO, MN 560020008
- Signed the 990
- CHANCE BRISCOE, CEO
- Phone
- (507) 387-7963
- Website
- WWW.BENCO.ORG
- Return prepared by
- CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP
Mission
TO SAFELY PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE, AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST, CONSISTENT WITH SOUND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
Program accomplishments
- SALE OF 354,166,248 KWH TO 20,086 ELECTRIC SERVICES. MAINTAINED 3,643 MILES OF UNDERGROUND AND OVERHEAD DISTRIBUTION LINES.
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 41-0155615
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(12): Benevolent life insurance association or mutual company
- Donations deductible
- No
- Exempt since
- 1939
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $151,671,612
- Income (IRS master file)
- $57,308,024
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $56,362,273 | $56,996,912 | $151,671,612 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $53,219,210 | $53,182,845 | $146,455,162 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $53,900,086 | $53,860,781 | $144,377,847 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $53,795,371 | $53,777,621 | $137,782,800 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | $49,683,649 | $45,893,377 | $123,765,879 | XML |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 41-0155615).
Questions about BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION
- What is the EIN of BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION is 41-0155615.
- Is BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(12) since 1939.
- Are donations to BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION tax-deductible?
- No. The IRS master file says contributions to it are not deductible.
- Which annual return does BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names CHANCE BRISCOE.
- Who are the officers and directors of BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 18 people; 18 received compensation from the organization, the highest $297,810 (DAVID SUNDERMAN, CEO).
- How much revenue does BLUE EARTH NICOLLET FARIBAULT COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $56,362,273, expenses of $56,996,912 and total assets of $151,671,612 at year end.
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