Board of Directors

​​Colin Hansen, Chair
Executive Director, Kansas Municipal Utilities, McPherson, Kansas
Colin has worked in the public power industry for over 26 years. Since 2000, he has served as Executive Director for Kansas Municipal Utilities, the statewide trade association representing and serving 185 communities across Kansas on electric, natural gas, water, wastewater & telecommunications issues. Under his guidance, KMU has grown nearly tenfold and recently opened the KMU Training Center to provide hands-on training to the next generation of municipal utility workers. Prior to joining KMU, Colin worked for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities in a number of capacities including Assistant Executive Director. Colin is a graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Drake University with a Masters in Business Administration.  He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Mid-West Electric Consumers Association.

Anthony Cannon, Chair-Elect
General Manager/CEO, Greenville Utilities Commission, Greenville, North Carolina
Tony was appointed to the position of general manager/CEO of the Greenville Utilities Commission in 2012, after serving as Assistant General Manager/Chief Operating Officer since 2006. He has more than 30 years of experience in public utilities, joining Greenville Utilities from Greer Commission of Public Works in South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from Southern Wesleyan University. His experience includes management of electric, water, sewer and natural gas operations. Tony currently serves on the Executive Committee for the East Carolina University Educational Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Directors and is a past Chair of the Pitt-Greenville Chamber of Commerce and is past chair for the Pitt County Committee of 100. He is involved with numerous other professional and civic organizations.

Layne Burningham, Treasurer
President and CEO, Utah Municipal Power Agency, Utah
Layne has been with UMPA for 24 years, with 21 years in management positions.  Prior to his current position, Layne served as UMPA’s Chief Financial Officer & Power Resource Manager. His experience includes power plant operations, contract negotiation and administration, power marketing, open access transmission tariff proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, power plant operations, issuance of bonds and other obligations of UMPA, and administration of all UMPA financial and accounting functions. He is a member of the Colorado River Energy Distributors Association’s Board of Directors.

 Jolene Thompson, Immediate Past-Chair
President and CEO, American Municipal Power, Ohio
Jolene has worked with municipal electric systems for nearly 30 years and is the first woman to lead AMP, the multi-state nonprofit corporation, which owns and operates electric facilities that provide generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power and energy to 135 members in nine states. Before becoming president and CEO, Jolene oversaw government relations, environmental affairs, energy policy, compliance, public/media relations, energy efficiency/business development services, and human resources and served as the principal legislative contact for both AMP and the Ohio Municipal Electric Association, where she was executive director. Jolene has served as a member of the Transmission Access Policy Study Group Board of Directors and its Executive Committee. At the state level, she is a member of the Ohio Lobbying Association and was recognized in a survey of the Ohio lobbying community as one of the most effective female lobbyists. Before joining AMP, she worked at Columbus Monthly magazine and Business First newspaper.