William Downey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Great Plains Energy and KCP&L

Mr. Downey joined the company in 2000 after 28 years of electric utility experience, including 20 years in executive positions with Commonwealth Edison in Chicago. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Downey served as Vice President of Commonwealth Edison and President of Unicom Energy Services Company, Inc., an unregulated energy marketing and services company operating throughout the Midwest. In October 2003, he was named to his current position and was also elected Director of Great Plains Energy.

Mr. Downey has a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University, a Master of Science degree from Columbia University in New York and a master's in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

Mr. Downey is active in the community, serving as a board member of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas City Area Development Council. He is also a board member of the Kansas City Industrial Foundation and the National Association of Manufacturers, where he serves on the Executive Committee. He is a board member of Starlight and a board member and past chair of the Missouri Energy Development Association (MEDA). He serves as a director of Enterprise Financial Services Corporation. He is a board member, and past Chair of the United Way of Greater Kansas City (UWGKC).