Chuck Bowlin, President and CEO of Tennessee public power utility Greeneville Energy Authority, recently passed away unexpectedly. Bowlin had served in the role of President and CEO since July 2020.
Michael Curtis, who served for many years as Executive Secretary and later General Counsel to the Arizona Municipal Power Users’ Association and was active nationally with the American Public Power Association, passed away in late January.

CEO & Utility Managers Roundtable Golf Tournament

Join us for the third annual CEO & Utility Managers Scramble Golf Tournament. More than a chance to enjoy the weather and the company of public power leaders, the tournament will also feature raffle prizes and a putting contest at the scenic Los Verde Golf Course - Rancho Palos Verdes’ premier 18-hole championship course with stunning Pacific Ocean views.

How will it work?
Registration and breakfast will begin at approximately 6:30 am. The tournament will begin with tee-time start at 7 am. 

Entry Fee 
$100 per player. Includes: breakfast, lunch, green fees, and cart rental. 

Format 
Four-person tee-time start. Individual players not entered as a team will be paired with others to complete a foursome.

Interpreting Financial Statements for Improved Decision Making

Strong leadership — whether at the board, executive, or operational level — requires more than reviewing financial reports. It requires the ability to interpret what the numbers reveal about organizational health, strategic risk, and long term sustainability. Whether you’re a board member, CEO, general manager, or another utility leader, you need to be able to confidently analyze financial statements and use them to guide high level decision making. Through a public power lens, break down the elements of core utility financial statements — the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement — and discover the metrics that matter most for executive oversight, including liquidity, debt capacity, operating margins, and reserve strength. Explore how financial performance connects directly to rates, capital planning, workforce and infrastructure investments, and long term resilience. Review practical examples in plain language to gain familiarity with how to spot trends, identify emerging risks, ask sharper questions, and strengthen financial stewardship across your organization.

Topics:

  • The key types and components of financial statements
  • Indicators of organizational and financial health
  • What else to look for in balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow
  • Translating financial analysis to planning and strategy
Dawn Lund Headshot
Dawn Lund
Vice President | Utility Financial Solutions
Jillian Jurczyk
Jillian Jurczyk
Rates Manager | Utility Financial Solutions

Understanding Technologies Driving Data Center Demand

The projections for demand from data centers can vary drastically and continue to skyrocket in some areas of the country. Examine what’s driving the dramatic increase in interconnection requests coming from data centers, how much is attributable to the rise in use of artificial intelligence, and what may happen with electric demand when technology and the AI industry continues to evolve. Discuss the uncertainty related to data center forecasts and how much is known and still unknown about phantom loads, the ongoing evolution of chips, cooling efficiencies, approaches to AI training, the competitive dynamics of the AI industry, and likelihood of failure. Understand the differences between training models and inference applications and what that means for load requirements. Evaluate the potential risks and opportunities AI poses to utilities, including demands on infrastructure and long-term financial health.

Topics:

  • How utilities are preparing for projected power demand from data centers
  • The distinction between typical data centers and AI-driven data centers in terms of load and goals
  • Where AI is headed next and what it could mean for demand and energy efficiency
  • Recent regulatory filings and decisions that could shape AI’s evolution
  • Potential utility applications for AI, including forecasting locational demand, integrating variable resources, improving situational awareness, and increasing efficiency of transmission systems
Peter Kelly-Detwiler
Co-Founder | NorthBridge Energy Partners

Strategic Planning in a Time of Change

Public power leaders are operating in one of the most dynamic periods in electric industry history. Rapid technological advances, shifting policies, and evolving community expectations are reshaping how utilities plan, invest, and deliver value. Get a comprehensive overview of the strategic planning practices that can help you navigate uncertainty and position your utility for long term success. Examine the essential elements of an effective strategic planning process, including how to build alignment around a shared vision and mission, identify strategic priorities, and engage the right stakeholders. Review how strategic planning has evolved and how to ensure your planning leverages the advantages of the public power model in supporting your communities. Walk through a straightforward, eight step planning model designed for utilities of all sizes and discuss practical methods for distinguishing true strategic priorities from distractions. Discuss how to move from strategy to action — setting direction, defining goals, and translating ideas into concrete steps that strengthen financial resilience, operational performance, and community impact.

Topics:

  • Building alignment around a shared vision, mission, and strategic priorities
  • Engaging key stakeholders and understanding the advantages of the public power model
  • An eight-step strategic planning model for utilities
  • Distinguishing true strategic priorities from distractions
  • Moving from strategy to action through goal setting and implementation
Dave Koster
Dave Koster
General Manager | Holland Board of Public Works
Steve VanderMeer Headshot
Steve VanderMeer
Executive Consultant

Electric Utility Industry Foundations and Trends

Whether you’re new to the electric utility world or looking to keep pace with the rapidly evolving energy industry landscape, this course offers a practical, non-technical overview of how electric systems work. Get a solid grounding of how public power utilities operate — from energy source to meter — gaining insight into the latest trends in how utility infrastructure is built, operated, and maintained. Examine the forces transforming the industry and how regulatory structures and market dynamics are reshaping traditional business models. Learn how leading utilities are adapting their strategies and practices to maintain financial strength, enhance operational resilience, and ensure long term sustainability.

Utility staff and leaders of all levels, policymakers, and anyone who is supporting a utility’s strategic reset are welcome in this dive into the fundamentals and emerging trends shaping the sector. Leave ready to participate more confidently in your utility’s planning, oversight, and strategic decision making — and with a copy of APPA’s Electric Utility Basics manual to keep as a reference guide.

Topics:
•    Electric utility regulations and business models 
•    The regional generation and transmission grid
•    Your local public power system
•    Trends and challenges in electric utility management

Lunch is included with this workshop. 

John Miner
R. John Miner
President | Collaborative Learning, Inc.

Strategies for Success in Public Power Governance

Most utility governance officials must quickly learn the roles, responsibilities, and expectations that come with the job. Get a comprehensive overview of public power and the duties and legal obligations of people on the governing board, including city council members. Review the nuts and bolts of governance requirements, such as open meetings and records, fiduciary responsibilities, charters and bylaws, conflicts of interest, and interaction with regulatory agencies. Learn what you can do to encourage effective board meetings and productive communication between your fellow board members, utility staff, and stakeholders. Swap strategies for successful board operations.

Topics: 
•    Advantages of the public power model 
•    Duties and obligations of governing board members
•    Common challenges and sticky situations for board members
•    Making the most of your experience

Steve VanderMeer Headshot
Steve VanderMeer
Executive Consultant
Safety
City Water, Light and Power employees achieved a major safety milestone in 2025, recording the lowest accident rate in the utility’s history and sending more employees home safely at the end of each workday, the Illinois public power utility reported in late January.
Generation
The U.S. Department of Energy on Feb. 11 announced $175 million in funding for six projects to modernize, retrofit, and extend the useful life of coal-fired power plants that serve rural and remote communities across the United States.