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Nonprofit · EIN 48-1206132

BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC

Tax-exempt · WAMEGO, KS 66547

Financials

$19.2M$19.2M2023$19M$19M2024$20.8M$20.8M2025
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2025990$20,780,415$20,780,415$0$66,362,820$39,017,096$27,345,724
December 31, 2024990$19,004,266$19,004,266$0$64,685,026$39,154,407$25,530,619
December 31, 2023990$19,246,612$19,246,612$0$63,782,231$38,805,802$24,976,429
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$0
Program service revenue
$20,182,136
Investment income
$581,234
Net gain from sales of assets
$478,522
Net income from sales of inventory
$17,045
Other revenue
$17,045

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$23,693
Benefits paid to members
$2,028,494
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$605,319
Other salaries and wages
$2,239,593
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$3,588,005
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$28,948
Accounting fees
$27,689
Depreciation
$2,115,433

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$64,685,026
Total assets, end of year
$66,362,820
Total liabilities, end of year
$39,017,096
Net assets, end of year
$27,345,724
Land, buildings and equipment
$51,354,988
Gross receipts
$20,826,453
Employees
33
Volunteers
0
Year formed
1999
State of legal domicile
KS

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.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
KEVIN HEPTIGMANAGER OF MEMBER SERVICES
Highest-paid employee
45.5$113,905$100,357
MICHAEL LEITCHCEO
Officer
46.3$167,919$34,871
JEROD CHAFFEEMANAGER OF LINE OPERATIONS
Highest-paid employee
42$120,997$65,425
THAD DONNELLYASSISTANT MANAGER OF LINE OPERATIONS
Highest-paid employee
41.8$111,717$74,179
TRISHA BRADLEYMANAGER OF ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
Officer
43.4$133,806$43,230
BENJAMIN MATTHEWS IIIOPERATIONS FOREMAN
Highest-paid employee
43.4$112,497$61,623
BENJIMIN EASTERBERGMANAGER OF AMI & MAPPING
Highest-paid employee
43.9$112,223$47,958
MICHAEL M MORTONGENERAL MANAGER (RET 1/3/25)
Officer
24$48,210$3,791
GARY BUSSTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
21.6$26,673$0
BRUCE MEYERSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
20.7$23,469$0
MARK DIEDERICHPRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
15.5$15,692$0
PATRICIA BLOOMDAHLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
12.5$13,144$0
RICHARD RIDDERTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
9.8$12,660$0
STEPHEN O'SHEATRUSTEE
Trustee or director
11.2$11,741$0
BRENT MCKEEMANTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
11.6$11,520$0
4 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
AMANDA GNADTTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
7.5$9,712
DONALD CLASSENVICE PRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
8$9,172
STEVE OHLDETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
8.8$8,716
MATTHEW REZACTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
7.5$8,614
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 18 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MICHAEL M MORTONGENERAL MANAGER
Officer
57.73$222,039$73,177
JEROD CHAFFEEMANAGER OF LINE OPERATIONS
Highest-paid employee
43.11$117,203$54,328
AARON MASSIEOPERATIONS FOREMAN
Highest-paid employee
44.63$115,318$46,901
TRISHA BRADLEYMANAGER OF ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
Officer
44.7$119,464$40,392
TIM WOLFJOURNEYMAN LINEMAN
Highest-paid employee
44.58$115,338$40,678
SHELTON ALLENJOURNEYMAN LINEMAN
Highest-paid employee
44.81$111,022$35,803
BAYLEE EASTERBERGJOURNEYMAN LINEMAN
Highest-paid employee
44.96$116,542$17,604
MARK DIEDERICHPRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
8.92$27,973$0
GARY BUSSTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
6.57$26,029$0
BRUCE MEYERSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
6.43$21,590$0
DONALD CLASSENVICE PRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
4.69$18,423$0
PATRICIA BLOOMDAHLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
5.17$16,853$0
RICHARD RIDDERTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
4.17$16,837$0
AMANDA GNADTTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
2.98$15,014$0
STEVE OHLDETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.76$11,066$0
STEPHEN O'SHEATRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.89$10,839$0
DAN POLLOCKTRUSTEE (AS OF 02/2024)
Trustee or director
2.57$10,630$0
MATTHEW REZACTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.28$9,708$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 16 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MICHAEL M MORTONGENERAL MANAGER
Officer
59.7$205,549$84,292
THAD DONNELLYASSISTANT MANAGER OF LINE OPERATIONS
Highest-paid employee
40.7$102,307$59,027
JEROD CHAFFEEMANAGER OF LINE OPERATIONS
Highest-paid employee
42.6$107,655$46,710
TRISHA BRADLEYMANAGER OF ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
Officer
44.3$109,083$37,790
BAYLEE EASTERBERGJOURNEYMAN LINEMAN
Highest-paid employee
42.7$101,476$13,003
GARY BUSSTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
7.2$27,984$0
BRUCE MEYERSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
4.6$15,520$0
MARK DIEDERICHTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
4.6$15,380$0
DONALD CLASSENVICE PRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
3.4$14,320$0
PATRICIA BLOOMDAHLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
4.1$14,040$0
AMANDA GNADTTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.8$11,460$0
MICHAEL LEITCHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.4$10,400$0
STEPHEN O'SHEATRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.3$9,220$0
RICHARD RIDDERPRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
2$9,060$0
STEVE OHLDETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
2.2$8,840$0
MATTHEW REZACTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1.9$8,100$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
PO BOX 5, WAMEGO, KS 66547-0005
In care of
% MICHAEL M MORTON
Principal officer (990 for 2025)
MICHAEL LEITCH, 1000 SOUTH WIND DR, WAMEGO, KS 66547
Signed the 990
MICHAEL LEITCH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Phone
(785) 456-2212
Return prepared by
EIDE BAILLY LLP

Mission

SAFE RELIABLE ENERGY

990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • PROVIDED ELECTRICITY TO APPROXIMATELY 7,669 SERVICES/CONSUMERS. SERVED 2,910.2 MILES OF LINE.

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 yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026990 on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
48-1206132
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(12): Benevolent life insurance association or mutual company
Donations deductible
No
Exempt since
2000
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$66,362,820
Income (IRS master file)
$20,826,453

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2025$20,780,415$20,780,415$66,362,820XML
990December 2024$19,004,266$19,004,266$64,685,026XML
990December 2023$19,246,612$19,246,612$63,782,231XML
990December 2022$19,515,990$19,515,990$63,678,036IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS
990December 2019–––IRS
990December 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 48-1206132).

Questions about BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC

What is the EIN of BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC?
The employer identification number (EIN) of BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC is 48-1206132.
Is BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(12) since 2000.
Are donations to BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC tax-deductible?
No. The IRS master file says contributions to it are not deductible.
Which annual return does BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC 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 BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC 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 BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC 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 BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names MICHAEL LEITCH.
Who are the officers and directors of BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 19 people; 19 received compensation from the organization, the highest $113,905 (KEVIN HEPTIG, MANAGER OF MEMBER SERVICES).
How much revenue does BLUESTEM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $20,780,415, expenses of $20,780,415 and total assets of $66,362,820 at year end.

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