Omaha Public Power District, or OPPD, is a public electric utility in the state of Nebraska.

Utilities

Omaha Public Power District

Kevin McCormick was promoted to Senior Director of Safety and Technical Training in April 2019 after serving OPPD in various roles for more than 33 years. He is at the forefront of maintaining a proactive culture centered around industrial safety, with oversight of safety training, driving programs, apprenticeship programs, technical training, fitness for duty, safety leadership, psychological safety, and health services. 

McCormick joined OPPD in August of 1987 in the General Maintenance Department at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station. His positions have ranged from mechanical planner, to manager of Nuclear Procurement Services, to executive assistant of Industry/Internal Affairs for the President/CEO. In 2008, he was promoted to division manager of Safety and Technical Training, where he served until taking his current position.

McCormick earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Technical Studies from [Bellevue University](/org/bellevue-university). He also holds a certificate for the Reactor Technology Course for Utility Executives from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In addition to these academic achievements, McCormick is a graduate of Leadership Omaha and has served on the Board of the National Safety Council of Nebraska since 2009.

McCormick is married to his wife, Jill McCormick. Together they have three daughters, Meredith, Reagan, and Peyton, as well as two son-in-laws, Mike Bisenius (Meredith), Max Rodenburg (Reagan) and two granddaughters, Jamison and Palmer.

Kevin McCormick

As the Vice President of Energy Delivery, Troy Via oversees the planning, operations, construction and maintenance of OPPD’s transmission and distribution system. He has been working in the utility industry since 1998. 

He joined OPPD in September of 2013 as the Director of Energy Marketing and Trading. During his five-year tenure in that role, Via played a lead role in OPPD’s integration into the Southwest Power Pool and the District’s entry into the day-ahead market. He actively engaged in enterprise risk management, including the development of OPPD’s derivative strategy. He has contributed significantly to economic development (including the development of rate 261M) and played a key role on OPPD’s resource planning team. In addition, Via led the corporate Integrated Energy Marketplace strategic initiative. 

Prior to joining OPPD, he held positions at [Dominion Resources](/org/dominion-resources) in Richmond Virginia and Aquila Energy in Kansas City Missouri. Most of his career has been focused on the optimization of generation assets and commodity risk in the competitive market place. Prior to joining the utility industry, Via worked for the Kansas City Board of Trade commodities exchange in the Audits and Investigation division. 

Via has a bachelor’s degree from the [University of Central Missouri](/org/university-of-central-missouri) with a focus in Finance.  

Troy R. Via

Eric Williams is the Natural Resources Planner at the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD). He works to protect and conserve natural resources, and to build trails across the metro area. Prior to his work at the NRD, he helped to improve energy efficiency in Omaha through evaluations and upgrades to homes and businesses as part of the reEnergize program.

Williams was elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 2018.  He was selected to serve as secretary for 2020 and vice chair for 2021.

He has served as the President of the Engineers Club of Omaha, and he helped found the Dundee Community Garden. In 2015, Williams was recognized by the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, as well as the Omaha Jaycees’ Ten Outstanding Young Omahans. He was also recognized by Earth Day Omaha as the Friend of the Environment in 2016.

Williams is originally from Omaha. He graduated from [Rice University](/org/rice-university). He and his partner Kristine live in the Dundee neighborhood.

Eric Williams

Sara Howard was elected to the OPPD Board in 2020 to serve a 2021 to 2027 term. She previously served two terms in the Nebraska Legislature, representing District 9 in Midtown Omaha. While in the Unicameral, Howard served as Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee.

Ms. Howard has also participated in several leadership programs, including American Council for Young Political Leaders (Ethiopia and Kenya, 2019), Leadership Nebraska (2018), Women in Government (2018). Henry Toll Fellowship - Council of State Governments (2016), Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership - Council of State Governments (2013), Great Plains Public Health Leadership Institute - UNMC (2012).

Howard attended [Smith College](/org/smith-college) where she earned her bachelor’s degree and graduate degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She and her husband, Doug, live in Midtown Omaha with their two cats Waffles and Murray. 

Sara Howard

Scott Focht joined OPPD in September 2013 to lead business strategy and deployment. In November 2020, he was promoted to vice president and is accountable for strategic planning, enterprise risk management, corporate audit, continuous improvement, and innovation.

Focht has more than 20 years of prior strategic management and consulting experience in hospitality, financial services, healthcare, and federal services industries including Best Western International, Inc., [First National Bank of Omaha](/org/first-national-bank-of-omaha-inc), [Creighton University](/org/creighton-university), and Constellation West. Additionally, he has worked independently as a strategic consultant for a variety of businesses and non-profit organizations.

Born in Omaha, Focht has a strong commitment to the community. He currently serves on the Board of College of St. Mary and MENTOR Nebraska, has served on the Institute for Career Advancement Needs (ICAN) Board and Santa Monica House Board, as director and chair, and has worked closely with numerous non-profit Boards, providing strategic planning, program development and Board development services.

Focht earned his master’s degree in business administration with a focus on international management from Thunderbird, School of Global Management. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from [Creighton University](/org/creighton-university), with a focus on French and business administration.

Scott M. Focht

Martha L. Sedky was promoted to Vice President Human Capital (HC) in December of 2016 after serving the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district) for five years as division manager of Human Resources. In her current position, Sedky has overall responsibility for OPPD’s Human Capital functions, including Labor and Compliance, Total Rewards, Organizational Development, Business Partnering, Talent Acquisition, Change Management, and Diversity and Inclusion.

Sedky joined OPPD with more than 25 years of experience in the Human Resources field including several leadership positions. She held progressively responsible positions with Parker Hannifin Corporation, Evenflo Company, and Kansas City Power & Light.

Sedky holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from [Western Michigan University](/org/western-michigan-university) and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from [Nazareth College](/org/nazareth-college), both located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 

She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and the Corporate Executive Board CHRO Council. Sedky has previously held board positions with WELLCOM and the Institute for Career Advancement Needs (ICAN) and currently serves on the boards of Grief’s Journey, Urban League of Nebraska, Heartland Workforce Solutions, and the Tri-Faith Initiative. 

Martha L. Sedky

Craig Moody is the managing principal at Verdis Group, LLC, a sustainability consulting firm located in Omaha.

He was elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 2016, and served as chair in 2020.

Moody attended the [University of South Dakota](/org/university-of-south-dakota) where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. He and his wife, Emily, reside in Midtown Omaha and have two daughters.

Craig Moody

Timothy J. Burke has been with the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district) since 1997, serving in various leadership roles. Timothy was promoted to President and CEO in 2015 and has held that position since. Under their leadership, the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district) has become one of the largest electric utilities in the Midwest, providing reliable and affordable electricity to over 850,000 customers in eastern Nebraska.

Burke has a long history with the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district), starting in 1997 as the Vice President of Customer Service and Public Affairs. In this role, they were responsible for customer service, meter reading, billing, collections, call center operations, field representatives, account executives, state and federal governmental affairs, community affairs, corporate communications, and marketing. Timothy also oversaw corporate functions such as environmental and regulatory affairs, corporate safety, technical training, and continuous process improvement.

In 2002, Burke was promoted to Vice President of Energy Services. In this role, they were responsible for all aspects of the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district)'s energy services, including generation, transmission, distribution, power marketing, and demand-side management. Timothy oversaw a staff of over 500 employees and was responsible for an annual budget of over $200 million.

In 2007, Burke was again promoted, this time to Vice President of Employee and Customer Relations. In this role, they were responsible for all aspects of employee relations, including recruitment, training, development, compensation, benefits, and safety. Timothy was also responsible for customer relations, including customer satisfaction surveys, customer complaint resolution, and community outreach programs.

In May 2015, Burke was promoted to President and CEO of the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district). In this role, they are responsible for the overall operation of the [Omaha Public Power District](/org/omaha-public-power-district) and its 850,000 customers. Timothy oversees a staff of over 2200 employees and an annual budget of over $1 billion.

Burke has a Master in Public Administration from [Drake University](/org/drake-university) and a Management Science/Psychology degree from Buena Vista University. Timothy also attended Saint Edmond High School.

Some individuals on their team include Mary J. Fisher - VP, Energy Production & Nuclear Decommissioning, L. Javier Fernandez - VP & Chief Financial Officer, and Scott M. Focht - VP, Corporate Strategy & Governance.

Timothy J. Burke

Kate W. Brown is vice president and chief information officer. She first joined OPPD in January 2016 as vice president of Business Technology and Building Services.

Brown provides leadership in the continuing effort to develop a robust and innovative business technology environment that maintains a focus on security, developing plans to support business initiatives, and business continuity planning. Her oversight includes business technology systems in relation to communications, operations, resource allocation, business applications, information security, business intelligence and project management. She also oversees facilities services to support the maintenance and care of non-plant building needs.

Brown has over 20 years of prior IT experience in retail and manufacturing industries including [Best Buy](/org/best-buy), Oriental Trading Company and, most recently, Warren Distribution, where she was vice president of Human Capital and Business Systems and, previously, director of Information Systems.

She currently serves on the AIM Board as well as the technology board of advisors for Heartland Family Services and previously was a member of the AIM InfoTech advisory team.

Brown earned master’s degrees in Management Information Systems and Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Capital Management from [Bellevue University](/org/bellevue-university). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Kate W. Brown

Fernandez came to OPPD from the [Bonneville Power Administration](/org/bonneville-power-administration) (BPA), [U.S. Department of Energy](/org/u-s-department-of-energy), in Portland, Oregon. He had been with the federal power marketing organization since 2012, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He previously served as senior vice president of Fixed Income Capital Markets for D.A. Davidson & Company and vice president of Public Finance for Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation, where he performed public finance banking and financial advisory services to municipal jurisdictions, primarily in Oregon.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City, a master’s degree in Business Administration from [Yale University](/org/yale-university), a Utility Management Certificate from [Willamette University](/org/malone-brown-productions), and a Utility Executive Certificate from the [University of Idaho](/org/university-of-idaho).

He is currently on the Board of Directors for the [Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City](/org/federal-reserve-bank-of-kansas-city), Omaha Branch. He also serves on the Boards of Directors for [Habitat for Humanity](/org/habitat-for-humanity) and [Bellevue University](/org/bellevue-university).

L. Javier Fernandez

Michael Cavanaugh is a retired police lieutenant for the city of Omaha. He is currently self-employed in the private security field. He was first elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 1994. He was re-elected in 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2018. 

Cavanaugh has served as treasurer, secretary and twice as board chair.

The lifelong Omaha resident also has a real estate background. He’s a former licensed Nebraska realtor, experienced in residential property management.

Cavanaugh is involved in the community as a member of various city of Omaha committees. His volunteer work has dealt with job training for underprivileged teenagers as well as enforcing housing code violations.

Cavanaugh has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He’s married and has two stepchildren.

Michael J. Cavanaugh

Lisa Olson brings over 35 years of marketing and communications experience from a wide variety of industries, such as transportation, financial services, marketing services and the utility industry. She joined OPPD in April 2011 as division manager of Corporate Marketing & Communications. In June 2015, she was named vice president – Public Affairs.

Olson is responsible for overseeing OPPD’s corporate brand as well as corporate communications, social media, community outreach and education, market research, data segmentation, economic development, legislative and regulatory affairs and environmental affairs.

Prior to joining OPPD, she was in leadership positions at [Infogroup](/org/infogroup) and First Data. Before joining the private sector, Olson served as a Public Information Officer for Nebraska’s Department of Economic Development.

Olson is a member of the Rocky Mountain Electrical League (RMEL) Board of Directors. She is also on the TeamMates Board of Directors and the Durham Museum Board of Directors.

She has also served on several community boards, including the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Nebraska Diplomats, Nebraska Humane Society, Omaha Sister Cities Association and United Way of the Midlands.

Olson has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She is married to Stephen G. Olson II and they have a son, Stephen G. Olson III (Trey).

Lisa A. Olson

Juli Comstock has more than 25 years of utility experience and an in-depth knowledge of OPPD.

Comstock joined OPPD in 1988 in the financial accounting and reporting area. She served most recently as division manager of Customer Service Operations. In that role, she oversaw OPPD’s activities in meter reading, billing, payment, customer service, payment processing, and field collection activities, as well as the technology that supports those activities. 

Prior to becoming division manager, Comstock played a major role for many of OPPD’s customer service technology projects, including customer information systems, mobile workforce management, automated callout, and the e-business projects.

In her role of vice president – Customer Service, she oversees customer service operations, customer sales and service, and product development and marketing, including demand-side management and energy-efficiency programs. 

Comstock holds a master’s degree in leadership from [Bellevue University](/org/bellevue-university) and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Juli A. Comstock

Amanda Bogner is the founder and president of Energy Studio, Inc., an energy efficiency consulting firm located in Omaha. She is a licensed mechanical engineer in several states and the District of Columbia.

Bogner was elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 2018 to serve a two year term, and re-elected in 2020. She was selected to serve as chair for 2021 and served as treasurer in 2020.

She has served in several community and professional organizations, including The Big Garden Board of Directors (current) and United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Nebraska Flatwater Chapter Board of Directors (2004-2006). At the national level, she was on the USGBC Energy & Atmosphere (EA) Technical Advisor Group (TAG) (2011-2016) and served as the vice-chair in 2015.

Bogner attended the [University of Kansas](/org/university-of-kansas) where she earned an undergraduate degree in architectural engineering. She and her husband, Jason, reside in West Omaha and have two daughters.

Amanda Bogner

Janece Mollhoff is a retired Army Colonel and career nurse. Most recently, she served as Deputy Commander for clinical services with an Army Hospital Unit in Des Moines, and as a clinical manager for the Visiting Nurse Association in Omaha. 

She was elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 2018 and was elected to serve as secretary for 2021.

Her previous appointments have been to the Ashland City Council, Ashland Area Economic Development Corporation Board and Natural Resources Director for the League of Women Voters of Nebraska.

Mollhoff earned a bachelors degree in Nursing from UNMC and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She and her husband, Wayne Mollhoff have lived in Ashland since 1996. They have a daughter and four sons.

Janece Mollhoff

Mary Spurgeon was elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 2020 to serve a 2021 to 2027 term. It is her first elected office.

Ms. Spurgeon retired after a 20-year career with Bellevue Public Schools. She spent more than 32 years in the classroom as a music educator. Her interest in Nebraska education policy continues, as she remains involved with the Bellevue Education Association- Retired.

As a member of the leadership team of Omaha Together One Community, Ms. Spurgeon has advocated for other common good public policy issues. She has had a lifelong concern for environmental stewardship.

A Nebraska native, originally from Scottsbluff, Spurgeon earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the [University of Wyoming](/org/university-of-wyoming) and a Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Nebraska – Omaha. She resides in Bellevue.

Mary Spurgeon

Rick Yoder works at the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC), a department of UNO’s College of Business Administration (CBA). He serves as a consultant for the NBDC Technology Commercialization program, the Director of the Pollution Prevention Regional Information Center, and CBA’s Sustainability Lead.

Yoder was elected to the OPPD board in 2016. He served as vice chair in 2020, and currently serves as treasurer. He has also served as secretary.

His previous elected office was on the Murray-Conestoga School Board. He currently serves on the board of Keep Cass County Beautiful (a Keep America Beautiful affiliate).

Yoder is a registered professional engineer in Nebraska and a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers.

Yoder and his wife, Dr. Lissa Nelson, have two children, and they have lived in Cass County since 1992.

Rick Yoder

Mary Fisher joined OPPD in June 2015, as the division manager of Corporate Business and Planning. Over her short tenure at OPPD she was moved into various roles and was promoted to Vice President, Energy Production & Nuclear Decommissioning on December 1, 2017.

Fisher oversees Energy Production and works to ensure continued safe operation of the Fort Calhoun facility as it is being decommissioned. Her responsibilities include safety, security, planning, project management, overall station performance and financial oversight. She brings decommissioning expertise from her previous role at a nuclear power plant in Colorado. Her guidance and leadership help to ensure the successful decommissioning of the plant.

She has more than 35 years of experience in the power industry. Prior to coming to OPPD, she worked for a large investor-owned utility in various energy industry capacities including engineering, transmission, strategic planning, financial forecasting, and generation projects. 

Fisher holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Colorado School of Mines with a minor in economics. She and her husband, Karl, enjoy exploring Omaha and the surrounding communities.

Omaha Public Power District

Org chart

Teams

Leadership Team

Board of Directors

CEO and Executive Team

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