WHITE PLAINS – The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees Tuesday accepted the resignation of Richard M. Kessel as NYPA president and chief executive officer, who says he is leaving for personal reasons.

Kessel, who has headed NYPA for nearly three years, will remain at the authority through Sept. 6 to ensure a smooth transition.

He said he expects to spend more time with his family. “It’s the right time for me to be leaving and I’m very comfortable with the decision,” he said.

In accepting Kessel’s resignation, the NYPA board, which is charged with the oversight of the authority’s senior management, approved the issuance of a Request for Proposals for the hiring of an executive search firm to provide candidates for filling the president and CEO position, the top staff job at the Authority.

The trustees elected Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA’s chief operating officer, to serve as the authority’s acting president and CEO following Kessel’s departure from NYPA.

“I’m leaving the New York Power Authority with a sense of accomplishment for the wide ranging measures we undertook over the last few years for spurring economic development around the state, particularly in Western and Northern New York where our large hydroelectric projects are located,” said Kessel. “It’s been my distinct pleasure working with Governors Paterson and Cuomo and carrying out their energy and economic development policies.”

The candidate selected as a result of the national search for a new president and CEO will be subject to the approval of the NYPA trustees and confirmation by the New York State Senate.

WHITE PLAINS – The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees Tuesday accepted the resignation of Richard M. Kessel as NYPA president and chief executive officer, who says he is leaving for personal reasons.

Kessel, who has headed NYPA for nearly three years, will remain at the authority through Sept. 6 to ensure a smooth transition.

He said he expects to spend more time with his family. “It’s the right time for me to be leaving and I’m very comfortable with the decision,” he said.

In accepting Kessel’s resignation, the NYPA board, which is charged with the oversight of the authority’s senior management, approved the issuance of a Request for Proposals for the hiring of an executive search firm to provide candidates for filling the president and CEO position, the top staff job at the Authority.

The trustees elected Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA’s chief operating officer, to serve as the authority’s acting president and CEO following Kessel’s departure from NYPA.

“I’m leaving the New York Power Authority with a sense of accomplishment for the wide ranging measures we undertook over the last few years for spurring economic development around the state, particularly in Western and Northern New York where our large hydroelectric projects are located,” said Kessel. “It’s been my distinct pleasure working with Governors Paterson and Cuomo and carrying out their energy and economic development policies.”

The candidate selected as a result of the national search for a new president and CEO will be subject to the approval of the NYPA trustees and confirmation by the New York State Senate.