Public officials, utility managers to lead wholesale power agency for 2013-2014

ORLANDO, Fla., July 19, 2013 – Managers and public officials from municipal electric utilities throughout Florida elected six of their own to lead a statewide power agency in 2013-2014.

Elections for the Florida Municipal Power Agency’s Board of Directors and All-Requirements Project Executive Committee took place at the Agency’s annual meeting held today in Fort Myers, Fla.

Four Officers Elected for Board of Directors

Members of FMPA elected Bill Conrad, Mayor of the city of Newberry, as Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2013-2014. He previously served one term as Treasurer. He has served on FMPA’s Board of Directors and FMPA’s Executive Committee since 2009.

Robert Hunzinger, General Manager for Utilities of Gainesville Regional Utilities, was elected as Vice Chairman. Hunzinger has served on FMPA’s Board of Directors since 2009.

William Thiess, Director of Utilities of Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, was elected Treasurer. Thiess was appointed as his city’s alternate to FMPA’s Board of Directors in 2006 and as a member of the Board in 2012. He was also appointed as an alternate to the Executive Committee in 2006 and as a member of the Committee in 2012.

Lynne Tejeda, General Manager and CEO of Keys Energy Services, was elected Secretary. She was appointed as her utility’s alternate to FMPA’s Board of Directors in 2005 and as a member of the Board in 2013. She has served on the Executive Committee since 2005. She is also Chair of FMPA’s Conservation and Renewable Energy Advisory Committee, of which she is a founding member.

FMPA’s Board of Directors makes policy decisions for the power supply projects of FMPA, except the All-Requirements Project. Each of FMPA’s 31 members appoints one representative to the Board of Directors, and Board officers are elected by popular vote of the members.

Two Officers Re-Elected for Executive Committee

FMPA members also re-elected Howard McKinnon, Town Manager of the Town of Havana, as Chairman of the All-Requirements Project Executive Committee for 2013-2014. This is his third term as Chairman. McKinnon has served on the All-Requirements Project Executive Committee and FMPA’s Board of Directors since 2006.

Matt Brower, City Manager of Ocala, was re-elected as Vice Chairman. This is his fourth term as Vice Chairman. He has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2008 and a member of the Board since 2011.

The elected Treasurer and Secretary of FMPA’s Board of Directors, Lynne Tejeda and William Thiess, also serve as Treasurer and Secretary for the Executive Committee.

FMPA’s Executive Committee includes one appointed representative from each member of FMPA’s All-Requirements Project. The Executive Committee governs and manages the business affairs of the All-Requirements Project.

FMPA’s All-Requirements Project provides all the wholesale power needs of 14 Florida cities, including Bushnell, Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Green Cove Springs, Town of Havana, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Newberry, Ocala and Starke. All-Requirements enables municipal utilities of all sizes to become owners—not just customers—of an efficient statewide power system.

Retiring Officers Honored

Two long-serving Board officers also marked the completion of their terms. Vince Ruano, City Manager of Bushnell, completed four consecutive terms as Chairman. He has served in various officer positions on the Board for 22 years and has served as a member of the Board since 1985. Ruano was presented with a Resolution of Appreciation, FMPA’s highest honor, at the Agency’s annual Board of Directors luncheon on Thursday.

Lou Hernandez, Chairman of the Utility Board of the city of Key West, completed four terms as Secretary and has served on the Board since 2007. He was honored at the Board’s annual meeting today.

Both Ruano and Hernandez have announced plans to retire later this year.

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Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a wholesale power company owned by 31 municipal electric utilities. FMPA provides economies of scale in power generation and related services to support community-owned electric utilities. The members of FMPA serve approximately two million Floridians.