Annual award recognizes outstanding leader and manager
COLUMBUS, OH: Ivan Henderson, commissioner of Cleveland Public Power (CPP), was named the 2017 recipient of the prestigious Mark Crisson Leadership and Managerial Excellence Award at the American Public Power Association National Conference in Orlando, Fla., on June 20. The award recognizes managers at a utility, joint action agency, or state or regional association who bring their organizations to new levels of excellence, lead by example, and inspire their employees and staff to improve processes, services, and operations. APPA is the service organization for the nation's more than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities who collectively serve more than 48 million people, about 14 percent of the nation’s electricity customers.
Henderson has been with CPP since 2006. According to APPA, “His colleagues describe his leadership style as innovative and creative, and he urges his employees to use every tool in their toolbox to serve customers. As a result, the utility has rolled out programs to improve customer service and raise awareness of public power, including revitalized net-metering and street-lighting programs and an expanded Public Power Week open house. The utility has also launched workforce initiatives to attract local talent.”
Under his leadership, Cleveland was host to the 2012 APPA Lineworkers Rodeo and he was instrumental in managing the electric utility during the 2016 Republican National Convention. As part of CPP’s 100th anniversary, Henderson led the planning for the downtown exposition that attracted more than 7,000 citizens. Henderson is credited with starting a lineworker apprenticeship program in partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to help address the challenge of an aging workforce.
“Ivan’s leadership extends from Cleveland to the AMP Board of Trustees. He has been a leader on the board and his knowledge and expertise have benefitted AMP as an organization and public power in general,” said Marc Gerken, president/CEO of American Municipal Power, Inc. “He is very deserving of this honor.”
Henderson has been a member of the AMP Board of Trustees since 2006, representing the Northern Area Service Group. As a member of the board, he is chair of the AMPGS Committee, vice chair of the AFEC and Bylaws committees, and serves on the Efficiency Smart, Finance, Hydro Power Projects, IT, Joint Ventures Oversight, Legislative, Personnel, Prairie State Project and Transmission/RTO committees.
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Ivan Henderson receives the award from APPA Board Chair and
Deputy Director of Independence, Mo., Power & Light Andrew
Boatright (right), and APPA Chair Elect and Fort Defiance, Az.,
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority General Manager Wally Haase (left).