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Board of Water & Light wages for 2025

April 20, 2026

In my April 14 story I said BWL wouldn't give me a payroll file I could use to produce the 2025 report. They gave me a "protected" Excel file, which made it impossible to abbreviate employee names, cost centers and job descriptions so an employee's information would fit on one line. I also couldn't sort the data in various ways to make easy to see, for example, who had the highest total earnings. They told me that there is no requirement in the Freedom of Information Act that a record be delivered in an unprotected format.

In the end, I was able to - in effect - "unprotect" the file. I just copied its content and pasted it into a new spreadsheet. Here are the lists I was able to make from that new file:

Name

Salary

Total earnings

Overtime/other earnings

Individual variable pay (only 4 people got this)

Job (within Cost Center)

New hires

Terminations

For a quick look, here are the 20 employees with highest salaries:

 

  Name CostCenter Hire Date Term Date Salary   Job RegEarnings OtAndOther TotEarnings
1 Peffley, Richard CorporateAdmin 6/11/1976   428,793   GeneralMgr 439,272.16 20,854.82 460,126.98
2 Shawa, Heather CorporateAdmin 2/3/2015   330,675   AssistGeneralMgr 335,520.81 3,072.40 338,593.21
3 Bolan, David CorporateAdmin 10/1/1987 6/4/2025 270,400   ChiefOpsOfficer 126,880.00 213,460.00 340,340.00
4 Matus, Mark CorporateAdmin 1/3/2011   251,805   GeneralCounsel 256,267.20 1,520.74 257,787.94
5 Flowers, Michael CorporateAdmin 7/14/2008   250,590   ChiefHROfficer 255,027.20 5,587.68 260,614.88
6 Hodge, Roberto CorporateAdmin 6/23/2008   243,987   ChiefOpsOfficer 237,799.68 6,147.84 243,947.52
7 Serkaian, Stephen CorporateAdmin 3/12/2012 3/1/2025 242,139   ExecDirCustExperience 51,220.40 74,999.49 126,219.89
8 Taylor, Scott CFO&CorporateServices 10/28/2002   228,250   ChiefFinancialOfficer 228,504.84 3,566.08 232,070.92
9 Myers, Vernon CFO&CorporateServices 2/1/2021   221,738   ChiefInformationOfficer 225,008.00 3,690.00 228,698.00
10 Lynn, Wayne Operations 9/6/2011   207,288   DirElectTrans&Dist 210,657.60 1,152.72 211,810.32
11 Mungarwadi, Sanjeev Operations 11/9/2020   207,281   DirWtrOps 210,636.00 13,062.80 223,698.80
12 Jones, Calvin CorporateAdmin 8/22/1977   201,434   DirGovt&CommRelat 205,001.60 24,330.80 229,332.40
13 Christensen, Kellee CorpGovRisk&LegCmply 7/1/1991   198,595   DirofStratPlanDev 212,321.36 2,232.00 214,553.36
14 McKinstry, Lynn Operations 4/15/1985 7/26/2025 192,137   DirOpsProcSupport 117,125.16 145,298.01 262,423.17
15 Manuel, Andre ElectricTrans&Dist 8/22/1997   188,847   MgrSubConst&Main 191,908.00 9,976.14 201,884.14
16 Schmidt, William ProjectEngineering 10/29/1990 4/1/2025 183,047   PrincElectalEngnrII-PED 53,504.00 163,856.00 217,360.00
17 Hawkins, Jason CorpGovRisk&LegalComply 3/24/2025   183,000   DeputyGeneralCounsel 140,768.01 0.00 140,768.01
18 Sebolt, Brian ElectricTrans&Dist 6/18/1985   181,525   MgrElectSyssOps 184,471.20 4,542.48 189,013.68
19 Yan, Ying Accting,Finance&Plan 6/20/2022   173,609   MgrAcctngFin&Plan 174,744.80 2,205.80 176,950.60
20 Sparks, Deanna CFO&CorporateServices 6/1/2014   173,263   DirCustOps 202,679.84 4,199.04 206,878.88

Here are the 20 employees with the highest total earnings:  

  Name CostCenter Hire Date Term Date Salary   Job RegEarnings OTanOther TotEarnings
1 Peffley, Richard CorporateAdmin 6/11/1976   428,793   GeneralMgr 439,272.16 20,854.82 460,126.98
2 Bolan, David CorporateAdmin 10/1/1987 6/4/2025 270,400   ChiefOpsOfficer 126,880.00 213,460.00 340,340.00
3 Shawa, Heather CorporateAdmin 2/3/2015   330,675   AssistGeneralMgr 335,520.81 3,072.40 338,593.21
4 Emmons, Archill OvheadElectConst&Maint 9/25/2000   132,850   ElectSrvcWkr 132,385.92 149,382.70 281,768.62
5 Houghtaling, Gerald OvheadElectConst&Maint 7/5/1988   146,141   LineWkrLdr 149,830.92 124,815.96 274,646.88
6 McKinstry, Lynn Operations 4/15/1985 7/26/2025 192,137   DirOpsProcSupport 117,125.16 145,298.01 262,423.17
7 Flowers, Michael CorporateAdmin 7/14/2008   250,590   ChiefHROfficer 255,027.20 5,587.68 260,614.88
8 Matus, Mark CorporateAdmin 1/3/2011   251,805   GeneralCounsel 256,267.20 1,520.74 257,787.94
9 Severns, Jason OvheadElectConst&Maint 12/27/2010   146,141   LineWkrLdr 147,188.37 107,942.65 255,131.02
10 Fountain, Michael OvheadElectConst&Maint 7/24/2016   146,141   LineWkrLdr 148,264.20 106,147.28 254,411.48
11 Trout, Franklin REOPlantElectProd 8/12/2024   112,632   GasPlntChillOpr-REO 110,781.00 142,281.56 253,062.56
12 Cox, Alfred REOPlantElectProd 6/4/2001   122,720   GasPlntChillOprLdr-REO 116,701.38 134,192.00 250,893.38
13 Baldwin, Adam OvheadElectConst&Maint 9/17/2012   146,141   LineWkrLdr 149,340.07 100,502.15 249,842.22
14 Hodge, Roberto CorporateAdmin 6/23/2008   243,987   ChiefOpsOfficer 237,799.68 6,147.84 243,947.52
15 Emmons, Daniel OvheadElectConst&Maint 3/25/2002   146,141   LineWkrLdr 152,164.12 86,126.30 238,290.42
16 Freund, Andrew OvheadElectConst&Maint 3/13/2023   132,850   ElectSrvcWkrRelief 134,097.28 104,174.12 238,271.40
17 Croley, Frank OvheadElectConst&Maint 1/11/1999   132,850   ElectSrvcWkr 147,056.94 91,187.14 238,244.08
18 Kebler, Justin OvheadElectConst&Maint 12/19/2007   146,141   LineWkrLdr 149,978.82 87,151.95 237,130.77
19 Taylor, Scott CFO&CorporateServices 10/28/2002   228,250   ChiefFinancialOfficer 228,504.84 3,566.08 232,070.92
20 Fenby, Adam OvheadElectConst&Maint 5/31/2015   126,131   LineWkr 126,041.23 104,618.71 230,659.94

And here are the employees with the highest overtime/other earnings:

1 Name CostCenter Hire Date Term Date Salary   Job RegEarnings OtAndOther TotEarnings
2 Bolan, David CorporateAdmin 10/1/1987 6/4/2025 270,400   ChiefOpsOfficer 126,880.00 213,460.00 340,340.00
3 Schmidt, William ProjectEngineering 10/29/1990 4/1/2025 183,047   PrincElectalEngnrII-PED 53,504.00 163,856.00 217,360.00
4 Emmons, Archill OvheadElectConst&Maint 9/25/2000   132,850   ElectSrvcWkr 132,385.92 149,382.70 281,768.62
5 McKinstry, Lynn Operations 4/15/1985 7/26/2025 192,137   DirOpsProcSupport 117,125.16 145,298.01 262,423.17
6 Trout, Franklin REOPlantElectProd 8/12/2024   112,632   GasPlntChillOpr-REO 110,781.00 142,281.56 253,062.56
7 Cox, Alfred REOPlantElectProd 6/4/2001   122,720   GasPlntChillOprLdr-REO 116,701.38 134,192.00 250,893.38
8 Houghtaling, Gerald OvheadElectConst&Maint 7/5/1988   146,141   LineWkrLdr 149,830.92 124,815.96 274,646.88
9 Pantera IV, Charles REOPlantElectProd 3/22/2015   114,691   GasPlntChillOpr-REO 109,339.44 119,719.74 229,059.18
10 Severns, Jason OvheadElectConst&Maint 12/27/2010   146,141   LineWkrLdr 147,188.37 107,942.65 255,131.02
11 Fountain, Michael OvheadElectConst&Maint 7/24/2016   146,141   LineWkrLdr 148,264.20 106,147.28 254,411.48
12 Fenby, Adam OvheadElectConst&Maint 5/31/2015   126,131   LineWkr 126,041.23 104,618.71 230,659.94
13 Freund, Andrew OvheadElectConst&Maint 3/13/2023   132,850   ElectSrvcWkrRelief 134,097.28 104,174.12 238,271.40
14 Jines, Jacob REOPlantElectProd 6/7/2021   125,840   GasPlntChillOprLdr 122,580.40 103,883.44 226,463.84
15 Lukasik, Andrew OvheadElectConst&Maint 4/8/2024   126,131   LineWkr 125,983.19 102,314.86 228,298.05
16 Gemalsky, Monty REOPlantElectProd 3/10/2008   114,691   GasPlntChillOpr-REO 112,505.64 100,757.74 213,263.38
17 Baldwin, Adam OvheadElectConst&Maint 9/17/2012   146,141   LineWkrLdr 149,340.07 100,502.15 249,842.22
18 Pietila, Daniel OvheadElectConst&Maint 8/26/2019   146,141   LineWkrLdr 133,707.77 94,208.09 227,915.86
19 Sheley, Ryan OvheadElectConst&Maint 3/2/2020   132,850   ElectSrvcWkrRelief 133,944.50 93,317.23 227,261.73
20 Hoxie, Jayne OvheadElectConst&Maint 8/19/1985 5/17/2025 127,130   ElectSrvcWkr 54,274.56 93,175.64 147,450.20

Here is how salaries of top executives have changed over the years:

Name Position

2021

2022

2023

 2024 2025
PEFFLEY, RICHARD General Manager 336,342 369,976 386,625 410,132 428,793
SHAWA, HEATHER Chief Financial Officer 244,500 261,860 281,866 293,141 330,675
BOLAN, DAVID Chief Operations Officer 223,837 235,029 260,000 270,400 270,400
MATUS, MARK General Counsel 193,545 217,350 233,955 243,313 251,805
SERKAIAN, STEPHEN Executive Director, Customer Experience 204,544 217,350 232,866 242,139 242,139
FLOWERS, MICHAEL Executive Director, Human Resources 183,483 217,350 232,866 242,139 250,590
HODGE, ROBERTO Chief Operations Officer 157,836 185,615 193,040 199,796 243,987

You can download the file as it was received from BWL here.

Links to payroll reports for previous years for the BWL, City of Lansing, CATA and CADL can be found here. (I've been trying to get the 2025 payroll for the City of Lansing for several months, not getting anywhere.)

 

Send comments, questions, and tips to stevenrharry@gmail.com or call or text me at 517-730-2638. If you'd like to be notified by email when I post a new story, let me know.

 

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