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The Marblehead Municipal Light Commission has finalized the appointment of Jonathan Blair as the department’s new general manager, with Blair set to begin his role on Sept. 29.
Blair, who previously managed the Ipswich Electric Light Department for nearly seven years, was selected from a field of more than 90 applicants in July. The commission voted 4-1 to approve his appointment, with Commissioner Mike Hull casting the lone abstention.
The former Ipswich manager will succeed Joseph Kowalik, whose contract expires on April 7, 2026. The commission voted in April not to renew Kowalik’s agreement and approved a retention bonus package worth up to $200,000 to ensure continuity through the transition. The board held a Sept. 17 meeting to discuss contract strategy with Kowalik in executive session, according to the posted agenda.
Commission Chair Jean-Jacques Yarmoff expressed confidence in Blair’s qualifications while acknowledging the learning curve ahead.
“John is a really good manager,” Yarmoff told the Marblehead Independent. “What he doesn’t know is Marblehead. And Joe has been in Marblehead for a really long time. So the specifics of what the light department is doing in Marblehead.”
Yarmoff emphasized the value of Kowalik’s local knowledge during the transition period.
“It’s local knowledge — people and places, especially,” Yarmoff said. “Where the buried conductors have problems. Joe can tell him, ‘watch out in this particular street, because it always happens.’”
Blair currently works as a senior managing consultant at Energy and Environmental Economics in Boston. During his tenure at Ipswich from 2016-2023, he managed a municipal plant serving about 7,000 customers compared to Marblehead’s 10,000.
The hiring subcommittee unanimously ranked Blair highest among applicants based on four key criteria: public utility experience, technical knowledge, proven leadership and demonstrated execution.
During his Ipswich tenure, Blair reduced the utility’s carbon intensity by half over five years while securing more than $5 million in third-party funding for strategic programs and infrastructure. The American Public Power Association recognized Ipswich as a Sustainable Energy Provider in 2022.
Blair holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Purdue University and a master of business administration in sustainability from Boston University. He served as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, earning recognition as Submarine Junior Officer of the Year in 2013.
The position includes team leadership of approximately 20 staff members with an annual budget of approximately $20 million, making it the second-largest municipal budget in town. The salary range is $170,000 to $230,000 with benefits including pension, health insurance and paid vacation.
Yarmoff noted strong references for Blair from his previous work.
“When I checked John’s references from people in Ipswich whom he had been working with, there was somebody who is running in one of the elections there for civic office or something,” Yarmoff said. “They said, ‘I hope you have a long contract with him, because otherwise we’d be really happy to coax him back for the same position or whatever position he might want.’”
The department maintains a commitment to reaching net zero emissions and has recently completed a $10 million Village 13 Substation upgrade to accommodate growing electrification demands.
