Gil Hanson and Max Embree Award Recipients

The 2015 Gil Hanson Jr. Outstanding Service Award and Max Embree Distinguished Service Award were presented to two distinguished individuals, Greg DuMars and Duane Banks, respectively. We were honored to present the awards at the recent KMEA Annual Conference and we are privileged to recognize them here.

Greg DuMars receives Gil Hanson Award

 

Greg has a long and distinguished record as an exceptional leader with respect to municipal joint action and serving his community, KMEA, and public power. In his 17 years as City Administrator for the City of Lindsborg, Greg has been deeply involved in the planning and design, not only of his city’s electric distribution system, but also the water and wastewater systems and numerous other street and community betterment projects. Greg honorably served as President of KMEA from 2010 – 2015. He currently serves on the KMEA Finance Committee and is the first-ever Chairman of the KMU Advisory Committee. He is viewed by the public power community across the state of Kansas as one of its top leaders and was one of eight winners of the 2015 American Public Power Association Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award.

 

 

 

Duane Banks receives Max Embree Award

 

Duane has served the city of Russell for 25 years, including nine years as a police officer and the last 16 years working in the Electric department. During his public power career he has held several positions and was promoted to his current position of Electric Utility Director in 2006. Duane has been involved with and has overseen many projects enhancing the city’s ability to serve its customers, including the construction of a natural gas turbine plant, the addition of a new substation, and upgrading three existing substations, just to name a few. Duane has been devoted to serving KMEA and the membership for many years as a member and Officer of the KMEA Executive Committee since 2010. Currently he is the President of the KMEA Executive Committee, Chairman of the Joint Board, and a member of the Power Supply Committee.