Grant Honored with Cooperative Awards
In every community, individuals are leading behind the scenes and making a lasting impact.
For Robert (Bob) Grant, what started as a desire to serve on the Mountrail Electric Cooperative board of directors in 1981 progressed into over 40 years of service to North Dakota’s electric cooperatives.
Whether farming and ranching near Berthold or coaching youth basketball, he has always been actively engaged in community and civic organizations. He has received awards as the Berthold FFA Chapter Promoter of the Year and the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association 2022 Rancher of the Year.
After the 2025 North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) annual meeting, he can now add two more awards: the Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives Gaylord Olson Cooperator Award and the NDAREC Cooperative Leadership Award.
With exponential growth at Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative (MWEC), Grant’s leadership as an MWEC director has helped position the cooperative to meet current and future needs of its members.
“Bob’s leadership on the MWEC board has been critical to navigating the challenges of a growing cooperative while staying true to our cooperative roots,” MWEC General Manager Alex Vournas said.
Never one to stand on the sidelines, Grant actively participates in and supports cooperative education through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and he encourages others to do the same.
“For four decades, Bob has been an advocate and supporter for electric cooperatives across the state,” Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative Board President David Sigloh said.
Through his legacy of cooperative leadership, Grant has proven to be a unifying force and made lasting contributions to North Dakota’s electric cooperatives. His approach to servant leadership is unmatched.
“As a new manager, I have leaned on Bob for guidance and direction, “Vournas said. “He has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and he is always willing to spend the time to share it with others.”
MWEC congratulates Grant on these recent honors. We are thankful to have a leader who has not only made a lasting impact in western North Dakota, but has been an advocate to cooperatives across the state and nation.
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