David Leathers, Jamestown Board of Public Utilities general manager recently announced the promotion of two BPU managers, Kristofor Sellstrom and Alexander Pickett, to leadership positions within the utility.

Sellstrom, a professional engineer, has been promoted to deputy general manager — electric. He is responsible for the strategic direction and operational management of the BPU’s main electric departments, including transmission and distribution, the city power plant and gas resources.

Sellstrom began his BPU career in 2011 as a junior engineer, progressing to electrical engineer in 2014. In 2018, Sellstrom was promoted to senior electrical engineer, energy and gas resources manager and earned his professional engineer license in New York State. Most recently, he has worked as transmission and distribution manager.

The University of Vermont graduate in Electrical Engineering obtained his Master of Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University–The Behrend College.

In the community, Sellstrom is a board member of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy. Previously serving as co-chair of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation and of the Jamestown Young Professionals, he assisted the United Way and volunteers with the Holiday Valley Ski Patrol. The Jamestown Chamber of Commerce honored him as the Young Community Leader of the Year in 2016 and he is a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout.

Nationally, Sellstrom was the chair of the Customer Connections Energy Innovation Planning Committee for the American Public Power Association (APPA) and is a member of the APPA Smart Energy Providers Committee.

Pickett has been named operations manager – water resources, overseeing the BPU’s Water, Wastewater, District Heat and Solid Waste divisions. Pickett’s duties include operations, personnel, projects and budgets for the four departments.

A Clarkson University Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering graduate, Pickett began working in 2015 as an industrial engineering technician at Weber Knapp Corporation until January 2016, when he was promoted to engineer. In 2019, Pickett advanced to senior manufacturing engineer, a post he held until 2022 when he moved to the Jamestown BPU as a mechanical engineer in the Water Division. He served as interim operations manager – water resources before his permanent appointment.

“We are extremely pleased that Kris and Alex have accepted these new and important roles,” Leathers said. “These managers have worked extensively in all aspects of their respective divisions at the BPU. They have distinguished themselves as outstanding employees, always looking for innovative, fresh approaches to improve service to our customers.”