About Richard Kessel

Richard M. Kessel, an expert in New York energy issues, took office as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority, the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, on October 14, 2008.

Since joining NYPA, Mr. Kessel has been a champion in expanding the application of the Power Authority’s hydropower resources to help preserve and add private sector jobs statewide, especially in regions hard hit by the recession such as Western New York and the North Country. He is also pressing for the development of an offshore wind power project in the Great Lakes, a 100 megawatt statewide solar energy initiative, a new transmission line to allow the importation of hydropower from Canada as well as a line from New Jersey to Manhattan, and the application of smart grid technology to NYPA’s statewide system to provide greater reliability and security.       

Prior to joining NYPA, Mr. Kessel served two terms as Chairman of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Board of Trustees. During his first term from 1989 to 1995, he was responsible for the decommissioning of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station. His second term from 1997 to 2006 began shortly before LIPA took over the Long Island Lighting Company in 1998 and continued through the first nine years of LIPA’s operation as the nation’s third largest municipal electric utility in terms of customers served. He finished his tenure at LIPA in 2007 as its President and CEO.

Mr. Kessel helped negotiate LIPA’s acquisition of the Long Island Lighting Company, which contributed to an immediate reduction of utility rates on Long Island. He improved the reliability of Long Island’s power transmission infrastructure by successfully leading the efforts to add the Cross-Sound cable from New Haven to Shoreham, and the historic Neptune Transmission system from Sayerville, New Jersey to Nassau County, New York. Both cables added nearly 1,000 megawatts of new power resources to LIPA’s supply and linked Long Island for the first time directly to two new power pools. At the same time, he led an unprecedented effort to implement clean energy and energy efficiency strategies that have helped increase Long Island’s renewable energy resources while helping residential and commercial customers lower their energy use and bills. 

Mr. Kessel began his career in public service as Executive Director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board from 1984 to 1995, where he successfully negotiated rate freeze agreements with Consolidated Edison, Niagara Mohawk, and Orange and Rockland Utilities. He was a Professor of Consumer Studies at Five Towns College from 1995 to 1997 and also served on the Board of Trustees for Nassau County Community College from 1981 to 2000, and was appointed to serve on the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority from 2000 until 2007.

Mr. Kessel attended Colgate University, received a bachelor's degree from New York University and his master's degree from Columbia University.

About Jack Kulka

For almost 30 years, Jack Kulka has been responsible for the construction of almost 20 million square feet of commercial, institutional, retail, industrial and residential facilities throughout the New York metropolitan area.  Having been recently cited by Long Island Business News as one of Long Island's top builders, based on square footage completed, Jack has provided numerous owners with optimum designed and constructed facilities at substantially reduced costs.  Jack is the originator of and the foremost exponent of the construction management method on Long Island.  Jack employs an experienced staff of professionals that foresee and solve problems in a prompt, efficient manner that enables all clients to receive the best product as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

For over 18 years, Jack has been the President of Kulka Construction Corp./Kulka Contracting, LLC dba Kulka LLC. Prior to Kulka LLC he was president for 17 years of Kulka Construction Management Corp. He was also Vice President of Electrical Contracting for five years with three different electrical contractors and spent seven years as the General Superintendent of Construction for Marcus Associates.

Jack remains a member of the Construction Specifications Institute, NYS Society of Professional Engineers, LIA Business Development Council, Business Council of NYS, as well as the New York City Chamber of Commerce.  Kulka has also received certification in the Fundamentals of Real Estate Syndications from Tulane University and in Practical Architect-Engineering Law from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Kulka has proven to be a vital part of the community in serving as Vice Chairman of United Way of Long Island 1988 Campaign, Chairman of United Way of Long Island 1989 campaign, and as the Past President of Suffolk YM-YWHA.  Jack has also involved himself as the Past President of the Commack Jewish Center, and Past Chairman for the Farmingdale College Foundation, American Cancer Society Theatre Party Fund Drive and St. John’s Hospital Fundraising Committee. Jack has participated on the Advisory Board for the Touro Law School and Apple Drug Rehabilitation Institute, as well as the Executive Board of the Torch Foundation. He is currently the Chairman of the Hauppauge Educational Foundation and member of the Suffolk County Electrical Agency. 

Jack graduated from New York University, receiving a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1964. He then went on to become a licensed professional engineer for the state of New York #49829, the state of New Jersey #22776 and the USGBC-LEED AP.