What's happening
Kahn, a longtime power industry member and previous AE executive, notified city officials of his intent to step down as head of the city-owned utility in late March. His retirement will be effective June 30, just over two years after he was appointed to the role. He was earning a $494,000 salary this fiscal year.
For now, former deputy General Manager Stuart Reilly is serving as interim GM overseeing AE's nearly 2,000 employees, $1.78 billion budget and service to more than 550,000 customers.
The selection of the utility's next head is still months away and will take place through a national search set to ramp up this year. On June 5, City Council voted to move forward with a $110,000 recruitment contract with utility industry search firm Mycoff Fry Partners LLC.
The details
After the contract is approved, this year's AE general manager selection process is expected to last four to six months. Mycoff Fry Partners will be tasked with creating a job posting, stakeholder engagement, and facilitating candidate interviews and a final selection.
"The contractor is well networked and respected in the utility industry, which makes them uniquely qualified to recruit electric utility executives with a proven track record of placing more than 210 chief executives and hundreds of senior officers," city staff wrote in an agenda document.
Deborah Jennings, spokesperson for the city Human Resources Department, said details like an exact search timeline and possible public input opportunities aren't yet finalized while the contract and complete recruitment plans are still being worked out.
The upcoming AE general manager search will be 12th time Austin has contracted with Mycoff Fry Partners for executive hires since the mid-1990s, according to the city. The firm was most recently involved in the 2021 selection of a new chief operating officer.
