The McPherson Board of Public Utilities delivers some of the lowest-cost and most reliable power and water in the State. However, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do as well as we do without our people. For this reason, we want to showcase those people who significantly impact our business and community with an “Employee Spotlight.”
On Friday, the 25th, it was announced that the recipient of August’s Employee of the Month was Mike Prieb. Mike is the new Superintendent of Power Plant Operations and NERC Compliance. He has served the McPherson BPU and its customers for 17 years, starting as a Power Plant Operator. Before he was officially on BPU’s regular payroll, however, Mike served on the summer ground maintenance crew while back home from Emporia State, where he studied Sociology.
Mike grew up in McPherson and recognized at a young age that the BPU was a big part of the community. He remembered seeing BPU’s big yellow trucks and knew how they supported the community and wanted to be a part of that. While working over the summers, Mike had exposure to the power plant and was fascinated by the technology and the roles in that department. He knew that was where he wanted to be. The dream of working in the power plant came to fruition when he received an offer to work as an operator, where he served for 15 years before his promotion to Safety and Environmental Compliance Manager and his recent promotion to Power Plant Superintendent.
When asked what his favorite part about working for the utility provider, he stated, “I have enjoyed the opportunity to learn about all the different departments, the value they bring to the Utility, and meeting all the people that perform the various roles.” When asked what he would say to anyone considering a job at the McPherson BPU, he said, “They would look forward to a real team atmosphere. There is no ceiling to what a person can do at BPU. Everyone has a way to contribute more, and not limited by their job title.”
Outside of work, Mike enjoys his “Honey-do” list of house projects, golfing, and watching good movies with his daughter. He also likes cheering on the Chiefs and freezing during the playoffs. He stated, “Josh Allen and Joe Burrow’s tears are the elixirs of life.”
Per General Manager, Josh Bedel: “Mike is a true example of what happens when one is committed to professional growth and willingness to take on new challenges. Mike has served the BPU well for 17 years, excelling in every role he has held. Mike has recently been promoted to Superintendent of Plant Operations and NERC Compliance, where he is responsible for the operational management of BPU’s electrical generation, transmission, and distribution systems, along with BPU’s water treatment operations. Congratulations to Mike for this recent promotion and being showcased in this month’s Employee Spotlight. Keep challenging yourself.”
Thank you, Mike, for serving the BPU and the McPherson Community.