July 24, 2026
74th Annual Meeting
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Wall Community Center,
501 Main Street, Wall, SD
Registration: 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Meeting called to order: 10 a.m.
Proposed Amendments | Press Release | Director Bios
Notice of 2026 Proposed Amendments
Press Release
August 7, 2026
Golden West members can vote online,
by mail,or at annual meeting
Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative members can vote on 2026 cooperative business online or by mail beginning Aug. 10 until Sept. 22. Voting will also occur at the cooperative’s 74th Annual Meeting to be held Saturday, Sept. 26, at 10 a.m. at the Community Center in Wall.
This year members will vote on proposed amendments to the articles and bylaws and to elect directors from four districts to the Board of Directors.
Elect four directors
Four of Golden West’s 15 board seats are up for election with two incumbents running unopposed and two incumbents facing challengers. All director terms are four years. Candidates are as follows:
- District I: Angela Simons, Unopposed Incumbent
- District II:
- Lincoln Smith, Incumbent
- Mark Patterson, Candidate
- District V:
- Penny Svenkeson, Incumbent
- Tom Ritterbush, Candidate
- District VIII: Randy Koerner, Unopposed Incumbent
Proposed amendments to articles and bylaws
Members will also vote on proposed changes to Golden West’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. To align with South Dakota Codified Law, the Board of Directors is recommending amendments to clarify that an entity member may be eligible to become a director of the cooperative.
The proposed changes:
- Clarify qualification requirements to become or remain a director both for entity and individual members,
- Define “residency” for entities as where the entity is headquartered,
- Specify how entity vacancies may be filled, and
- Provide the board with more flexibility when filling vacancies. This is necessary because how vacancies are filled often depends on the timing of the vacancy relative to the next opportunity for the membership to vote.
Golden West mailed members a Notice of Proposed Amendments to the Articles & Bylaws on July 17. It was sent with the July 2026 Horizons newsletter, which includes an article summarizing the changes.
How to vote in advance
Residential members may vote for directors in any district and proposed amendments online now through Sept. 22 by visiting goldenwest.com/vote. Letters mailed Aug. 10 provide detailed electronic voting instructions, including entering the last four digits of the primary account holder’s Social Security number for authentication. Members may instead request mail-in ballots by Sept. 8, and completed ballots must be received by Sept. 22 to be counted.
Non-individual entity members may vote, as well. To find out what options are available for businesses, churches, school districts, and towns, etc., call 1-800-741-0374.
Ensuring a safe, secure election
Golden West is working with Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) to manage hybrid options for voting in advance. SBS provides dependable and secure voting systems for many types of organizations, including cooperatives.
For more information on Golden West’s 74th Annual Meeting, voting options, director candidates, or the proposed amendments, please visit goldenwest.com/annualmeeting or call 1-855-888-7777, option 3.
Since 1916, Golden West has been providing telecommunications services across the state of South Dakota. A member-owned cooperative, Golden West provides business and residential customers with advanced broadband internet, phone, and cable TV solutions. We strive to exceed the expectations of our members so they can live, work, and play in the place they choose to call home. Golden West is proud to be an equal opportunity provider and employer. Learn more at www.goldenwest.com.
Director Election Bios
Members* of the Golden West cooperative will elect four members to the Board of Directors.
*To be a member of the cooperative, you must subscribe to internet or phone service in an area where Golden West provides phone service.
Directors elected for each district will serve four-year terms. Districts I and VIII have only one candidate running, both incumbents. Districts II and V have contested elections, where two candidates are running, including each incumbent.
Lincoln Smith – District II
Incumbent
My name is Lincoln Smith. I grew up on a ranch between Philip and Wall. I graduated from Philip High School in 2008 and attended Northern State University in Aberdeen where I received a bachelor’s degree in both business management and marketing in 2012. I returned to the Philip area with my wife, Ella, where I have ranched and farmed for the last 14 years.
Over that period, I have held a position on several boards including the local Farm Bureau Board, the Haakon County Weed and Pest Board, the Haakon County Board of Commissioners, and the Golden West Telecommunications
Board of Directors. Ella and I have four beautiful children, and we love raising them in our rural community. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, working on the ranch, and golfing.
I am running for the Golden West District II director position, because growing up in this area, I know the key role Golden West has had over the years keeping my family and everyone I know connected. Through phone service, internet, and television, it is hard to imagine families and businesses without Golden West’s services. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the members of this great cooperative and help it move into the future on the Board of Directors.
Mark Patterson – District II
Candidate
Mark Patterson grew up working on the family farm north of Wall. After graduating from Wall High School, he attended Black Hills State University in Spearfish, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in wellness management.
Mark and his wife, Jenny, have two children, Nathan and Meghan, whom they raised in the Wall area. Nathan and his wife, Jordan, live in Phoenix, Arizona, and Meghan currently lives in Rapid City.
For the last 21 years, Mark has worked as a safety director for Golden West Telecommunications and loss control manager for the South Dakota Rural Electric Association. This time spent in the cooperative utility world has taught him the importance of what it means to be a cooperative owner/member, a cooperative employee and the importance of having Board of Directors that understand and lead with the cooperative principles.
As a member of the Board of Directors for Golden West Telecommunication, Mark will bring his rural farm/ranch morals and beliefs along with his vast experience of utility cooperative experience – always understanding that the
decisions made in the boardroom are for the member/owner’s benefit, growth of the employees, benefit of the community and growth of Golden West Telecommunications.
With your vote, Mark looks forward to being your next member of the Board of Directors at Golden West Telecommunications.
Penny Svenkeson – District V
Incumbent
Penny Svenkeson has been a Golden West Telecommunications member for over 25 years and has been on the Golden West Telecommunications Board of Directors for the past four years.
Penny is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she holds a degree in computer science and a minor in electrical engineering. A veteran of the computer and technology industry, Penny worked at Unisys for 42 years, serving in the role of lead platform architect prior to retiring.
Unisys is a leading global technology solutions company, and Penny designed large-scale enterprise computer servers used by domestic and international corporations and governments. Her team was located around the world, and
Penny served as the technical interface to oversee design and collaboration. A trusted expert, Penny was the technical liaison with supporting partner companies.
Penny and her husband, Paul, have owned and operated a ranch west of Hot Springs for 33 years. They raise Scottish Highland and Red Angus cattle.
Penny retired in 2021 and enjoys volunteering in the community. She is a member and the secretary/treasurer of the Minnekahta Fire Protection District. She also enjoys donating her time to deliver food for the Meals on Wheels program and providing information technology (IT) and computer technical support for the Hot Springs Public Library.
Penny recognizes the critical role the cooperative plays in supporting its members and ensuring access to affordable broadband. She believes she can contribute unique experiences and perspectives to support the continued success of Golden West Telecommunications.
Tom Ritterbush – District V
Candidate
My name is Tom Ritterbush, and I would like to represent District V on the Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative Board of Directors.
I graduated high school from Cozad, Nebraska, went to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and received a teaching degree in business. I went on to teach for 18 years in schools in O’Neill, Rushville, and Chadron in Nebraska, and in Hot Springs. I taught business and vocational education and was a successful coach in boys and girls basketball, football, and track. I also received a master’s degree in business from Chadron State College.
Then, my wife, Sharon, and I started many businesses in Hot Springs, including a full-line department store, Hallmark store, Subway, and a screen-printing company. All these businesses taught me how to organize successfully, manage employees, control costs, and engage in customer service. I was also a stockbroker for Edward Jones and helped clients
with investing and retirement plans.
I was also the president of the board of directors of the Country Club Estates HOA and was the chairman of the retail committee for the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. These positions gave me the insight of working with other committee members.
I am now retired, and I have always wondered how large businesses operate and wanted to be on a board of directors; then this opportunity came up. I believe with all my experiences in business, teaching, and coaching, I would be a valuable asset to the Golden West Cooperative team.
Angela Simons – District I
Unopposed Incumbent
My name is Angela Simons, and I have deep roots throughout District I. I moved to the Faith area when I was 3 years old and later lived in the Maurine area for about six years before and during high school. For the past 21 years, I have lived in the Enning/Union Center area on my husband’s family ranch. Because of these experiences, I have lived and worked in several communities across District I and understand the needs and values of our members.
I have proudly served on the Golden West Board for the past four years and the CBH Co-op Board for six years. In addition to these roles, I have been actively involved in community projects and organizations.
Some of my community involvement includes:
- Serving on the committee responsible for restoring and improving the Union Center softball fields.
- Serving as president of the committee that led the construction of the new Enning Fire Hall.
- Organizing a community haying project for a local resident facing serious health issues, coordinating equipment volunteers to harvest about 400 acres in just two days.
- Assisting with planning and organizing the Union Center Centennial celebration held this summer.
Keeping things local and supporting our communities has always been important to me. I enjoy bringing new ideas to the board and helping keep Golden West connected to our members through quality services, opportunities, and open communication. I am approachable, accessible, and committed to serving our members and communities.
Randy Koerner – District VIII
Unopposed Incumbent
My name is Randy Koerner and I am running for the Golden West board representing District VIII. I am currently serving and have served as a board
member since 2010. I am a graduate of Freeman High School, and the University of South Dakota.
My wife LeeAnn and I live in Freeman, SD, where I have been a general contractor for the past 47 years. LeeAnn is retired from a career in health care, and I am slowly winding down my contracting business. We are members of St. Paul Lutheran Church, where I have served in various offices over the past 40 years.
We like to keep busy with yard work, gardening, and hopefully do some traveling in the future. I have served for the Freeman Ambulance, Freeman
Fire Department, City Planning and Zoning Commission, and Freeman Development Corporation.
I am running for the board because I feel I have a common-sense approach to solving issues, and I feel it is good to be able to give something back to a company that has done a great job of taking care of its patrons for the past many years.