Bill Tewkesbury Honored with AMP DNA Award

COLUMBUS, OHIO: Bill Tewkesbury has been recognized as the American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) 2026 DNA Award recipient. Tewkesbury is a Plant Operator at the Willow Island Hydroelectric Plant and has been with AMP since 2020.

The annual award — sponsored by AMP’s President and CEO — was initiated in 2008 to recognize an employee who advances AMP’s vision and mission “to be public power’s trusted leader in providing Members and their customers the highest-quality, forward-looking services and solutions,” and “to serve Members through public power joint action, innovative solutions, robust advocacy and cost-effective management of power supply and energy services.” 

“Bill’s knowledge of hydro operations and his institutional knowledge from having worked at AMP previously at the Richard H. Gorsuch Generating Station have had a positive effect on his performance as a plant operator at Willow Island,” said Jolene Thompson, AMP President and CEO. “He demonstrates an eagerness to learn as much as he can, and he shares his knowledge with others to encourage the growth of his coworkers and promote teamwork.”

Nominations for the award are submitted by staff in recognition of their fellow employees and include the reasons why their nominee should receive the award. Thompson announced Tewkesbury as the 2026 recipient during an all-staff meeting.

During the awards presentation, Thompson noted that the nominations from Tewkesbury’s colleagues show that he exemplifies the organization’s core values on a daily basis. His coworkers emphasized that he is extremely approachable, works with an unmatched attention to detail, and consistently steps in to troubleshoot issues and take on additional projects to help control costs. In addition, he is committed to developing others, encouraging his fellow operators to apply what he has taught them and supporting their growth through hands-on guidance and constructive feedback.

Tewkesbury first served with AMP as a Mechanic and Equipment Operator at AMP’s Richard H. Gorsuch Generating Station from 2006 to 2010, before leaving to serve in several positions with Longview Power. He rejoined AMP in 2020 as Plant Operator at the Willow Island Hydroelectric Plant. He completed the Industrial Electricity Program at the Washington County Career Center and holds a Third-Class Stationary Steam Engineer License.

To accomplish its vision and mission, AMP employees must believe in, and demonstrate, the core values of the organization: integrity, Member focus, partnership, employee engagement, stewardship, innovation and accountability. These values serve as the organization’s “DNA” and are a critical foundation to its ability to succeed and serve Member communities. The AMP DNA Award recognizes employees who best demonstrate the values and DNA of AMP, and it serves as a way to highlight to both AMP staff and Members the importance of the key organizational criteria AMP strives to meet.