William (Bill) Johnson, general manager of the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities, recently received the Mark Crisson Leadership and Managerial Excellence Award during the American Public Power Association’s national conference in Orlando, Florida.
The award recognizes managers at a utility, joint action agency or state or regional association who steer their organizations to new levels of excellence, lead by example and inspire staff to do better.
Johnson currently oversees all functions of the KCK BPU including 600 employees, an annual budget of $348 million, 800 megawatts of generation capacity and 65,000 customers spread over 135 square miles.
Johnson is the first African American to be appointed general manager at BPU, and a recognized leader and mentor for the community through his professional affiliations.
Throughout his career, he has helped identify, implement and champion several initiatives to improve the efficiency, reliability and affordability of electric service to the community, according to a spokesman. This has set new standards, utilized new technology, promoted conservation and reduced environmental impacts.
He has helped BPU become a recognized leader in renewables and energy efficiency, highlighting the importance of protecting the environment for a healthy community, the spokesman stated.