News Release

Gerry O’Keefe New Director of Natural Resources
August 15, 2008

EPHRATA, WA – Gerry O’Keefe has been selected to be director of Natural Resources for Grant County Public Utility District. He assumes these duties on September 30 and replaces Joe Lukas who will return to his position as senior policy advisor after serving as interim director since the departure of Steve Brown in early July.

O’Keefe is currently the Columbia River Policy Coordinator for the Washington State Department of Ecology. In this position since 1998, O’Keefe has been leading the implementation of the Columbia River Water Supply Development Program. Previously, he was a budget assistant to the governor in the Office of Financial Management.

With Grant PUD, O’Keefe will direct and manage the Natural Resources division in their work on fish, wildlife, recreation, land use, cultural resources and compliance with environmental regulations. Implementation of the new Priest Rapids Project license is also a major responsibility of this division.

O’Keefe received a B.A. in Chemistry and Economics from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington.

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Grant County Public Utility District is a Washington state municipal corporation that began electric service in 1942. Owned by the people it serves, Grant PUD generates and sells electricity to Grant County residents and millions of customers throughout Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The Priest Rapids Project, comprised of Priest Rapids and Wanapum Dams, produces nearly 2,000 megawatts of clean, renewable and reliable electricity – enough to supply a city the size of Seattle. A leader in science based technology; Grant PUD is committed to finding effective measures for the protection, mitigation and enhancement of salmon, steelhead and other natural and cultural resources.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dorothy Harris
(509) 793-1516 / dharris@gcpud.org