by Larry Salmela

Bruce Leino served the members of the North Itasca Electric Co-op as a director for 37 years until he died on Monday February 5, 2024.  From the co-op’s beginning the members of District 7 have always had someone named Leino as their representative on the board.  Bruce’s father was a director when the co-op was first organized.  When her husband died, his mother was appointed to fill the board vacancy; and Bruce was elected at the first opportunity and has served ever since then.

Bruce was a businessman through and through.  He understood the value of investing in his businesses and the fundamental principle that the operation of any business must pay back the investment, which requires operating the business very carefully and paying attention to the details.

He understood that the basic business principles must also apply to a cooperative.  His grasp of these principles earned him great respect from his fellow North Itasca Electric directors who selected him to represent the local co-op on the Great River Energy board of directors.  Once there, he was selected by his peers on the GRE board to serve in its leadership positions.

He understood the importance of treating his customers with high respect.  In the co-op world this is far more important because the customers are members.  We heard him at the board table emphasize the importance of respecting the members again and again.

Bruce’s business approach could be seen in the way that he was very careful about his personal appearance.  He was uncomfortable with the way that business attire, a suit and necktie for a man, has fallen out of fashion in our modern world.  He chided his colleagues on our local board on more than one occasion, “A board meeting is a business meeting, and we should dress appropriately.”  Well, people are much more casual these days.  Eventually Bruce came to accept that the argument wasn’t going anywhere, and he reluctantly changed his ways also.

Bruce was a true outdoor sportsman.  Being out on the rivers and lakes and in the woods was plainly in his blood.  In many ways he served the Squaw Lake community and the broader area of northern Itasca County throughout his entire life.  The Leino family legacy of service to the community continues by the efforts of his wife Sandy and his son and daughter and their families.