HYDROPOWER INDUSTRY BESTOWS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO MARC GERKEN
Dr. Kenneth Henwood Award is industry’s most prestigious honor
Washington, D.C. (April 29, 2021) – The National Hydropower Association (NHA) is pleased to announce Marc S. Gerken, PE as the recipient of the 2020 Dr. Kenneth Henwood Award at Waterpower Week in Washington. The Henwood Award is the hydropower industry’s highest honor and celebrates a lifetime of achievement to those who show great leadership. In recognition of his dedication to the industry, Gerken was selected by a committee of his peers.
“As a visionary and leader in hydropower, we are thrilled to honor Marc with the Henwood Award,” said Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association. “Adding generation to existing, non-powered dams is going to fuel hydropower’s growth in the future, and Marc helped to forge that clean energy path. His efforts serve as a reminder to the nation that the clean energy investments we make today, will pay dividends for the next generation. On behalf of the hydropower industry, we would like to congratulate Marc for being a true pioneer.”
“Marc is a very deserving recipient of NHA’s highest award,” said Jolene Thompson, AMP President/CEO. “The AMP Board and staff congratulate Marc for his many contributions to the industry and his longstanding leadership.”
Marc S. Gerken, PE served as the President and CEO of American Municipal Power (Retired). Leveraging Build America Bonds and New Clean Renewable Energy Bonds, Marc spearheaded the development of four new hydropower plants, built on existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers non-powered dams on the Ohio River; adding more than 300 MW of clean, renewable energy.
Throughout his career, Marc has advocated for hydropower at both the national and local levels. He served as the Board of Directors Chair for NHA, American Public Power Association, Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC) Management Committee, and The Energy Authority (TEA). And in 2017, Marc testified on behalf of the industry before a U.S. Senate committee in an effort to modernize the hydro permitting and licensing process.
Demonstrating his commitment to safety, in 2010, NHA honored the Belleville Hydropower plant, which American Municipal Power developed and operates on behalf of 42 member communities participating in the joint venture project, with an NHA Outstanding Stewards of American Waters Award for Operational Excellence for its safety program that yielded more than 150,000 work- hours without a lost time or reported incident over the previous 10 years.
About the Henwood Award
- The Dr. Kenneth Henwood Award is presented to an individual within the hydro industry who exhibits:
- Dedication to hydropower as an energy technology;
- Persistence in the face of institutional obstacles;
- Appreciation and understanding of the relationships among project engineering, environment and economics;
- A strong commitment for fair dealing and plain speaking; and
- Uncommon energy, enthusiasm, and excitement as a leading force in the industry.
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