Former Chiefs quarterback joins Public Service Commission

(From the Public Service Commission)

William Patrick Kenney of Lee’s Summit may be known best for completing more than 4,300 passing yards in a single season or being selected as a Pro-Bowl quarterback, but the former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback will now be helping shape his state’s energy future as a commissioner on the Missouri Public Service Commission.

Kenney was appointed to the Public Service Commission by Gov. Jay Nixon on Jan. 9. On Jan. 23, Kenney became the first gubernatorial appointee to appear before the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee this legislative session. The following day, having received a unanimous recommendation of approval from the committee, Kenney’s appointment received the advice and consent of the full Senate, affirming his six-year term on the Commission.

“I’m truly grateful to have the opportunity to serve Missouri as a member of the Public Service Commission,” Kenney said. “I would like to thank Governor Nixon for his appointment and my colleagues in the Senate for their confirmation allowing me to serve in this capacity.”

Kenney is no stranger to winning approval in the Senate. Voters elected him to the Legislature’s upper chamber in 1994 and re-elected him to the Senate in 1998. In 2001, Kenney was elected by his caucus to serve as the first Republican majority floor leader in the Missouri Senate in more than 50 years.

Prior to becoming floor leader -- the Senate’s second-highest officer -- Kenney briefly served as the only Republican in Missouri history to be named co-floor leader during a brief period in which neither party in the Senate had an 18-vote majority.

Prior to his appointment to the Commission, Kenney served as the chief-of-staff for Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.

A native of California, Kenney graduated from San Clemente High School, holds an Associate of Arts degree from Saddleback College, attended Arizona State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from the University of Northern Colorado.

Outside of his athletic and public service endeavors, Kenney works as a businessman and real-estate developer. He and his wife, Sandi, own Bill Kenney Homes, Inc.

“It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to serve Missouri as a member of the Missouri Public Service Commission,” Kenney said. “I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead in regulating the utilities that serve our state.”