Board Members of New York public power utility Jamestown Board of Public Utilities announce the planned retirement of General Manager David Leathers and are planning to begin a search process for his replacement in the coming months.
Leathers has served as the BPU's General Manager since March 2008, and intends to retire in January 2026. Before his current position, he was Interim General Manager and Deputy General Manager. He has worked for the utility since December 2005.
Leathers is President of the New York Association of Public Power. He is also a member of the American Public Power Association national Board of Directors Executive Committee and the association’s CEO Climate Change & Generation Policy Committee.
In 2020, the APPA named Leathers as a recipient of its national Mark Crisson Leadership and Managerial Excellence Award, which honors two managers annually from 2,000 American public power electric companies.
In his previous NYAPP role, Leathers was honored by the New York Power Authority as one of two primary NYAPP leaders participating in the negotiations between NYPA, NYAPP and the Municipal Electric Utilities Association of New York State.
His work helped to secure a new, long-term contract extension with NYPA for hydropower commitments through September 2040, on behalf of the organizations and the municipal customers and cooperative electric members of New York State.
The BPU Board will lead the search for a new General Manager.
“Dave Leathers has been an outstanding leader of the BPU, the New York Association of Public Power and the American Public Power Association,” stated Board Personnel Committee Chair Lana Huston.
“He has led our organization admirably with wisdom, integrity and intelligence, always keeping the well-being of our customers and the BPU employees as his top priorities. He will be sorely missed.”
