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AMP Names Two Public Power Advocates to Wall of Fame, Honoring Significant Contributions

Published on: 05/23/2023

COLUMBUS, OH: American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) inducted two individuals to the AMP Wall of Fame: Marty Kanner, founder and president of Washington, D.C.-based Kanner & Associates, and Gregg Ottinger, of Duncan & Allen’s D.C. law firm. The two, honored on May 17, join 27 other Wall of Fame inductees.

The Wall of Fame was established in 2010 to honor those individuals who, through their dedication, have made significant contributions to AMP and public power. Plaques outlining the inductees’ contributions will hang on the Wall of Fame in the AMP Board of Trustees room at AMP's headquarters in Columbus. The AMP Wall of Fame includes the names of individuals and groups who have left an indelible mark on the organization.

“AMP and our members have been fortunate to have Marty and Gregg in our corner — advocating, leading and guiding us during many pivotal events,” said Jolene Thompson, AMP President/CEO, who nominated Kanner and Ottinger for the award. “Their contributions over the years have been vital to the success of AMP and our members.”

Marty Kanner

Kanner has represented AMP for more than 25 years on federal legislative matters and has been involved in national energy policy issues for more than 35 years. During this time, he has advocated on behalf of AMP and the Ohio Municipal Electric Association (OMEA), providing both political and policy guidance through many changes in the industry, including the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the creation of Regional Transmission Organizations and many debates over energy, climate, tax and transmission policy. He has always championed the value of grassroots engagement by both organizations and their members to make sure that the interests of public power are always represented during policy discussions.

Gregg Ottinger

Ottinger, who worked at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Duncan & Allen upon graduation from law school in 1980 until his retirement in 2022, spent his entire career protecting the interests of public power. He represented municipalities and consumer-owned electric utilities in a wide array of issues — from power supply planning and project development to interconnection and transmission services and regulatory proceedings. He provided valuable counsel to many AMP members throughout the organization’s years of growth. His work has included the 1990 U.S. Supreme Court case, Arcadia v. Ohio Power Co., the City of Clyde’s successful municipalization and other municipalization efforts, support for OMEGA JV4 in the development of the 69-kilovolt transmission line project connecting Bryan and Holiday City, and the negotiation of a battery storage and solar agreement on behalf of the Village of Minster.

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    Gregg Ottinger (left) and Marty Kanner are the 2023 inductees to the AMP Wall of Fame.