Ubits November/December 2017
Dec. 31 Incentive goal forms due
MyTPU.org/incentiveform
Director for a decade
UBITS STORY
Bill Gaines to retire in December
When Bill Gaines accepted the job as TPU Director 10 years ago, he may not have predicted the wild ride it would become. A recession. A drought. A $187 million filtration plant. Key executive retirements. Two different mayors, three city managers, and a complete turnover of the Public Utility Board. Regulatory and governance changes. The list goes on and on. “I was, and still am, thrilled to have been selected by the Board late in 2007 to succeed Mark Crisson as the leader of Tacoma Public Utilities, “Bill said. “TPU is a gem of an organization with a rich history of leadership and a very deep bench of talent. I’m not sure how well the public and elected leaders understand that; if they did, I believe their appreciation of the important role TPU plays in the community would grow significantly.” In the decade that followed his appointment as director, TPU flourished under Bill’s leadership.
If you asked Bill about his top priorities as leader, you would hear the words financial stability, long-term planning, businesslike, customer focus, and team based-management. He talks of past TPU leaders who made smart decisions for customers and the health of the organization, and set out to ensure his decisions and those of his management team continued that legacy. “TPU was built on a solid foundation, and prior leaders have made smart and strategic decisions – like investing in hydropower, securing a healthy water supply and being an active part of the industry and the community,” Bill said. “As the director, I have felt a great responsibility to do more than rely on that foundation. I have wanted to build upon that legacy so people look back some day and say I made the right decisions.” continued on page 2
In this issue
Pages 4-5
Page 6
Page 8
Bits & Pieces
Cowlitz Falls North Shore Collector
Scott Dewhirst