Sheldon C. Petersen

Chief Executive Officer
National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC)

Sheldon C. Petersen has served as governor and chief executive officer of CFC since March 1995. Petersen began his career in the rural electrification program in 1976 as staff assistant for Nishnabotna Valley REC in Harlan, Iowa. He later served as general manager of Rock County Electric Cooperative Association in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Petersen joined CFC in 1983 as an area representative and provided financial management and consulting services to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana and the Dakotas. In 1990, Petersen moved to CFC headquarters where he held various positions, including director of Policy Development and Internal Audit, director of Credit Analysis, assistant to the governor and acting administrative officer.

He also was instrumental in the governance of two CFC affiliated organizations that meet the financial needs of electric cooperatives and rural telecommunications companies and cooperatives. He served as administrative coordinator for the board of directors and coordinated corporate activities of the Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative and the National Cooperative Services Corporation.

A native of western Iowa, Petersen received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Northern Iowa in 1975. He and his wife, Donita, presently reside in Leesburg, Virginia.