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EWEB Board Chooses Bonneville Power Administration Leader as New General Manager by Rebecca Hansen-White KLCC, February 4, 2026

EWEB is still negotiating a salary package

The Eugene Water & Electric Board has hired the current leader of the Bonneville Power Administration as its new general manager.

The EWEB board voted to hire John Hairston on Tuesday after a months-long search. He will replace Frank Lawson, who announced plans to retire last year. During Tuesday's meeting, Lawson praised Hairston, saying he'd known him for years.

"He is a very high integrity, well qualified candidate," Lawson said. "I think EWEB and the board will be very happy with that decision and I think it's an honor to have someone at that level, with that degree of integrity be interested in this position."

Hairston works at BPA's headquarters in Portland and has been with the agency since 1991. He's been its leader since 2021. EWEB is still negotiating a salary package, and plans to extend a formal offer in the next few weeks.