RICHLAND, Wash. – The Energy Northwest Executive Board elected John Saven as its chair during their regular public meeting June 22. The Executive Board also elected Curt Knapp, Pend Oreille PUD Commissioner, as vice chair, and Bill Gordon, Franklin PUD Commissioner, as secretary and Jim Moss as assistant secretary.
Saven was appointed to the Executive Board by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2016. He is retired from his position as founder and CEO of Northwest Requirements Utilities in Portland, Oregon. NRU represents the interests of the Bonneville Power Administration’s full requirements customers, ensuring access to low cost and reliable power supply. His service to public power spans more than 44 years. His distinguished career in public power began with Seattle City Light where he served as the deputy superintendent for Finance and Administration. He also previously served as the executive director of Northwest Irrigation Utilities where he helped ensure BPA’s customers with large agricultural loads remained competitive.
Knapp was appointed by the Pend Oreille Board of Commissioners to the Board of Directors in 2011 and was elected to the Executive Board in 2022. During his service with the Pend Oreille PUD Commission, Knapp was appointed the voting member to the Washington Public Utility Districts Association (WPUDA), and has served on the Budget, Telecom, Legislative and Roundtable Committees. In 2013, he was elected to serve as president of WPUDA. Knapp currently serves as Deputy Coroner in Pend Oreille County.
Gordon became a Franklin PUD commissioner in 2003. He was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2004 and served on the Executive Board from 2006 to 2010. Gordon brings a rich business background to his work. He holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant administration from Washington State University and has worked in hotels throughout the United States, as well as in Munich and Johannesburg. He and his father farmed together for five years in St. John, Wash. He was also appointed to the Board of Trustees for Columbia Basin College by Inslee where he served from 2013 to 2021.
Moss was appointed to the Executive Board by Inslee in 2013. He is a retired director of the Energy Department for the United Association, a multi-craft international union representing plumbers, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, welders and HVACR technicians. His is currently president of Alliance Consulting Group and Executive Director of the Oil & Natural Gas Industry Management Committee.
The Executive Board chair, vice chair, secretary and assistant secretary will serve until June 2025.
Energy Northwest’s Executive Board has 11 members: five elected from the agency’s Board of Directors, three appointed by the Board of Directors from outside Energy Northwest, and the remaining three appointed by the governor of Washington. The Executive Board sets the policies that govern the operations of Energy Northwest.
About Energy Northwest
Energy Northwest is a Washington state public power joint operating agency and a premier provider of carbon-free electricity. Energy Northwest comprises 28 public power member utilities, serving more than 1.5 million customers, and provides its members and regional customers with safe, reliable, cost-effective, responsible power generation and innovative energy and business solutions. The agency owns and operates hydroelectric, solar, battery storage, wind and the Northwest’s only nuclear power facility. Energy Northwest also actively supports transportation electrification and explores new generation projects for the benefit of public power. www.energy-northwest.com.
