The Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) has named Howard “Bud” Bemis as its Distinguished Person of the Year, recognizing his extraordinary 55 years of service, leadership, and commitment to public power in the Village of Jacksonville, Vermont, the Town of Whitingham, Vermont, and the broader Vermont community.
At age 95, Bemis recently stepped down from the Jacksonville Electric Board of Trustees, concluding more than five decades of steadfast leadership, the Vermont Public Power Supply Authority noted.
During his tenure, Bemis played an essential role in guiding Jacksonville Electric through organizational transformations, system upgrades, and countless challenges. His work helped shape one of the most reliable electric systems in Vermont.
In the 1970s, Bemis was instrumental in negotiating service boundaries with Green Mountain Power and led the reconductoring of Jacksonville’s main feeder line, significantly strengthening the utility’s infrastructure and ensuring long term service stability.
Over the years, he mentored numerous village presidents and offered guidance to emerging leaders within the utility, including Jacksonville Electric’s first General Manager.
“Bud’s service embodies everything NEPPA’s Distinguished Person of the Year Award stands for,” said James Weber, Village of Jacksonville Electric Company's General Manager. “His long term commitment to advancing public power and to supporting his community has had a profound and lasting impact. His dedication will continue to inspire the public power community for generations.”
“The NEPPA community is thrilled to present Bud with the Distinguished Service Award. Over five decades of community service is a monumental accomplishment. Congratulations to Bud and JEC," said Mike Hyland, Executive Director of NEPPA.
Bemis’s legacy is defined not only by his technical and operational contributions but by his unwavering commitment to the people he served. His leadership strengthened Jacksonville Electric’s foundation and fostered a culture of reliability, collaboration, and community-driven public power.
NEPPA, VPPSA, and The Village of Jacksonville Electric Company congratulates Bemis on this honor.
Since 1965, NEPPA has been supporting and connecting its members by providing high-quality, low-cost training and events, advocating for policies and federal legislation in the best interest of public power and showing up in times of need with a reputation for rapid Mutual Aid response.
Its members include publicly owned and member owned utilities as well as a diverse range of companies engaged in the electric industry and its associated sectors. NEPPA's best-in-class training facility is located in Littleton, Mass.
VPPSA is a joint action agency serving Vermont’s locally owned municipal electric utilities. VPPSA provides shared expertise and services in areas including power supply, regulatory and legislative affairs, rate design, finance, information technology, project management, and planning. Through collaboration, VPPSA’s member utilities gain economies of scale and access to resources while maintaining local ownership, governance, and community focus.
