From left, Marquette Board of Light and Power board member Jerry Irby, Assistant City Attorney Laura Reilly, BLP Executive Director Tom Carpenter and Director of Personnel and Employee Relations Mary Adamini listen as Chairman Tom Tourville, not pictured, notes Carpenter’s dedication during his time as acting executive director. (Journal photo by Jaymie Depew)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette Board of Light and Power has a new executive director.

At its regular meeting Tuesday night, the BLP’s Board of Directors unanimously appointed former Acting Executive Director Tom Carpenter to fill the position left vacant in July following the retirement of former Executive Director Paul Kitti.

The appointment — which wasn’t initially part of the agenda — was added as a special item after Chairman Tom Tourville suggested the board move forward with the process.

With 13 years at the BLP and 20 total years of industry experience, Carpenter has been a commissioner on the board of the Michigan Public Power Agency and general manager at the Upper Peninsula Public Power Association. He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a power system emphasis from Michigan Tech University, according to the BLP’s website.

Since July, Carpenter has worked as acting executive director after the board appointed him to the position. He was the BLP’s director of generation and engineering services at that time.

Carpenter believes the transition will be a fairly smooth one, noting that he’s been the BLP’s interim director for several months.

“It should be an easy transition,” Carpenter said. “I’m looking forward to continuing the work and working with everyone here.”

The board congratulated Carpenter, echoing similar thoughts that it was time he officially moved into the position.

Tourville called Carpenter a leader who has proven to the board and company that he’s the right candidate.

“The last nine months Tom has been functioning 100 percent as the executive director, making decisions as the executive director, coming to work and doing everything and doing a tremendous job,” Tourville said. “(It was) to the point where many folks thought he must be the executive director. So after nine months we did it, and I’ll follow the board’s direction and move forward with Tom.”