COLUMBUS, OH: Kirk Behrman, Utilities Superintendent for the Village of Deshler, is the 2024 recipient of the AMP Seven Hats Award.

The award was announced during the 2024 AMP Annual Conference, which took place Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Columbus.

The AMP Seven Hats Award — modeled after the American Public Power Association’s national Seven Hats Award — was initiated in 1984 to recognize utility managers who serve smaller communities of less than 2,500 meters, and whose management duties extend well beyond the scope of a manager in a larger system. Award winners demonstrate skills in seven areas: planning and design, administration, public relations, field supervision, accounting, personnel or employee direction, and community leadership.

“The AMP Seven Hats Award is the most important honor that AMP gives out,” said Dave Carroll, CEO of Paducah Power System and Chair of the AMP Board of Trustees. “Kirk Behrman’s hard work and dedication to his community exemplifies what the award his about, and it’s clear how much the Deshler mayor and village council appreciate him. I’m proud to have been able to present Kirk with the Seven Hats Award.”

The Village of Deshler is a small community with 978 electric meters located in northwestern Ohio. Behrman has served the Village of Deshler for 22 years, and in his role as Utilities Superintendent, he is responsible for the Village of Deshler’s electric, natural gas, and water utilities.

Under his leadership, Deshler Municipal Utilities has undertaken numerous improvement projects throughout various areas of the utility, including moving to a newly remodeled utilities facility, instituting a strict tree-trimming schedule and advancing a project to expand the village’s electric transmission delivery points. Additionally, he played a crucial role in securing a $2.2 million grant for the village’s natural gas service through the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which will replace 100 percent of the village’s pipeline.

“Working for the village, or for public power, the neat thing about it is that every day seems to be something different,” Behrman said. “You are connected with the people. It’s just not a job where you are going out and doing something — setting poles every day or pulling wire every day. When you are working in the public sector, you’re actually talking to the people, and you become one with them and you become part of the community. That’s the neat part about it.”

Behrman’s administration skills extend well beyond utility projects, as he provides regular updates and serves as an information resource for the Deshler Village Council and Board of Public Affairs. He is often called upon to speak about utility operations and projects at Board and Council meetings, as well as to explain the intricacies of utility operations and safety to new village employees and elected officials. Behrman also works to keep the community informed by making himself available when questions or concerns arise.

“Kirk’s public relations skills are top notch,” Deshler Mayor Michael Woods said in his nomination of Behrman for the AMP Seven Hats Award. “He is one of the most approachable men that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Whenever a citizen has a question or concern about their power supply, Kirk is quick to respond in a way that is simple enough for anyone to understand.”