Columbus, OH: American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) inducted three individuals to the AMP Wall of Fame: Mike Weadock, former safety service director for the City of St. Marys and Chair of the AMP Board of Trustees; John Coyle, partner at the law firm of Duncan and Allen; and Marc Gerken, former AMP President/CEO. The three, honored on Aug. 18, join 23 other Wall of Fame inductees.
The Wall of Fame was established in 2010 to honor those individuals who, through their dedication, have made significant contributions to AMP and public power. Plaques outlining the inductees’ contributions will hang on the Wall of Fame in the AMP Board of Trustees room at AMP's headquarters in Columbus. The AMP Wall of Fame includes the names of individuals who have left an indelible mark on the organization.
Mike Weadock, 2020 AMP Wall of Fame honoree
Mike Weadock served as safety service director for the City of St. Marys from 1989 to 2005. A strong advocate for public power, he served on the AMP Board of Trustees for 13 years, including as chair from 2000 until his retirement in 2005. During his time on the Board of Trustees, Weadock had a profound impact on the organization and its member communities.
As chair, Weadock helped to lead AMP through a period of significant evolution and growth, helping membership increase from 83 members in three states to 110 members in four states, and greatly expanding the scope of services offered by the organization. He also oversaw the development of a long-term organizational strategic plan, which led to the eventual development of many AMP generation facilities, including the hydroelectric fleet, the AMP Fremont Energy Center and the Prairie State Energy Campus. Weadock is an honorary member of the Ohio Municipal Electric Association and a member of the American Public Power Association Honor Roll.
"Mike was very instrumental in my being able to understand this industry," said Gerken, who nominated Weadock for the award. "He was one of my mentors, and when I started to work for AMP, he was one of my big supporters. I want to thank him for all of his hard work and guidance."
John Coyle, 2020 AMP Wall of Fame honoree
John Coyle, a partner at the law firm of Duncan and Allen, has represented AMP on numerous occasions. A stalwart of public power, Coyle oversaw the organization's renegotiation for the New York Power Authority's preference power arrangement. His breadth of legal knowledge and negotiation skills helped to ensure that the prices and conditions remained tenable and beneficial for the organization and its member communities.
Throughout his career, Coyle has provided a great deal of impactful legal counsel to AMP and a number of its member communities and has represented municipal and consumer interests in proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, state utility regulatory commissions and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
"He has been a huge advocate of public power. His firm has been a huge supporter of APPA," said Gerken, who nominated Coyle. "He is always insightful; is a very smart guy and I have tremendous respect for him. I want to thank him for his significant contributions to AMP and public power."
Marc S. Gerken, P.E., 2021 AMP Wall of Fame honoree
Marc Gerken served as President/CEO of AMP from 2000 until his retirement in 2020. Gerken's strategic vision helped lead AMP through significant growth in terms of membership (from 83 members in three states to 135 members in nine states), assets (from $248 million to $6.6 billion), annual revenues (from $222 million to $1.1 billion) and system peak (from 1,877 MW to 3,489 MW).
Under Gerken's leadership, the organization transitioned from AMP-Ohio to AMP, developed new value-added member programs, achieved strong financial ratings, and led AMP's efforts to develop, finance and construct a range of generation projects. Gerken worked closely with the AMP Board of Trustees to undertake strategic planning, and his passion and vision resulted in AMP being a recognized leader in the utility industry.
"Like Dick Gorsuch and Ken Hegemann who came before him, Marc left an indelible impression on the organization," said Jolene Thompson, AMP President/CEO, who nominated her predecessor for the award. "On behalf of the AMP Board and team of employees, thank you Marc, for your leadership and the strategic thinking that you provided through the years. AMP would not be the organization it is today without your passion and drive."