ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 30, 2002 – The Florida Municipal Power Agency announced today that Mark J. Larson has been named Director of Finance and CFO effective Sept. 25.

Larson will join FMPA from Greenville (N.C.) Utilities Commission, where he has served as Director of Finance. At FMPA, Larson will report to Roger Fontes, General Manager and CEO. Until Larson relocates to the Orlando area, Janet Davis, FMPA’s Financial Services Manager, will serve as Acting Director of Finance and CFO.

In his new position, Larson will be responsible for directing all accounting and financial activities of the Agency. In addition, as FMPA’s Risk Manager, he will administer the Agency’s risk management policy recently approved by FMPA’s Board of Directors.

“Mark has exceptional talents and expertise that will serve FMPA well,” said Fontes. “We are pleased to welcome him to the Agency.”

Larson has 20 years of experience in public-sector finance and accounting. He has been director of finance for Greenville Utilities Commission since 1992. While there, he wrote the utility’s first risk management policy for managing volatile natural gas prices and was central to later updates. Previously, he was director of finance for the city of Corvallis, Ore., for two years, and he was chief accounting officer for the city of Fort Worth, Texas, for six years.

Larson holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of North Texas in Denton. He is a Certified Public Accountant in North Carolina, and he holds the designation of Certified Municipal Finance Administrator.