The Board of Trustees at New Braunfels Utilities in December announced a significant development in the search for the organization’s next CEO. Ryan Kelso, the current Interim CEO, has emerged as the clear front-runner to lead NBU into its next chapter, the Texas public power utility said.
The decision to extend an offer to Kelso “was made after carefully considering his exemplary leadership and dedication to NBU,” NBU said.
The utility said that his proven track record includes key roles since joining NBU in 2015, such as Control Center Supervisor, Systems Control Manager, Director of Water Services, Chief Operations Officer, and, most recently, Interim CEO.
The selection process, initiated in October, involved engaging NBU employees and the community through a survey conducted by Baker Tilly, with nearly 200 participants sharing insights on the qualities they wished to see in the new CEO.
The application process attracted 42 applicants, leading to 15 candidates participating in the first round of interviews.
Five well-qualified individuals progressed to the second round, where discussions in live interviews delved into crucial aspects such as risk aversion, work-life balance, futuristic thinking, and the unique characteristics each candidate would bring to NBU.
The next step includes finalizing the CEO agreement through contract negotiations, scheduled for completion in January.
The NBU Board anticipates presenting the CEO agreement for consideration at the January 2024 Board meeting.
