Steve Wright, BPA Administrator for the past 11 years, recently announced his retirement from public service effective January 2013. In one of the best and clearly most heartfelt retirement letters, Wright expressed his gratitude for a career in public service and an opportunity to work with a dedicated and talented staff at BPA. In the type of moment that most often reveals one’s true character, he asked that no letters of best wishes be written to him, but instead be written to his wife and children with a personal anecdote as small compensation for the sacrifice they made to his career.
Wright intends to remain an active and engaged Administrator as the U.S. Department of Energy conducts a search and selects his replacement. That is expected before the end of the year and Wright will remain with BPA as part of a succession plan until his formal retirement in January. DOE Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman will lead the competitive process for the new Administrator.
This departure of the BPA Administrator coupled with the agency’s current active search for a new Vice President for Energy Efficiency means some significant personnel transition in executive leadership for one of the region’s most important energy players.