Paul Bender Consulting

Financial and Management Consulting for Municipal and Governmental Water, Wastewater, and Electric Utilities

Mr. Bender is a financial and management consultant with over 30 years of experience in executive utility leadership.

He has worked with international and U.S. municipalities and water,
wastewater, and electric utilities with development and implementation of
comprehensive financial, customer service and information technology
turnaround plans; developing and implementing strategic
financial plans and processes; short and longer-term (10-year) rate/tariff
structures and levels; and organizational restructuring.

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Strategic and financial planning to meet City Council/Board of Directors’/Mayoral/Ministry financial and customer service expectations and address significant infrastructure requirements within reasonable tariff/rate levels
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Long-term water and wastewater infrastructure financing and rate planning
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Project management of large, complex financial and customer service/IT ‘turnaround’ projects, and implementation of large-scale remote metering projects

Project management of customer service and IT ‘turnaround’ projects

Includes addressing the entire range of organizational operations, with an expertise in financial, customer service and IT operations, delivering ‘best in class’ performance levels. 

Short and long term financial and rate tariff planning

Develop and implement short and long-term strategic financial plans,
including rates/tariffs that are realistic, achievable, and affordable.

Mr. Bender’s Clients

City of Cape Town, South Africa

Comprehensive short and long-term financial and tariff plan; development and implementation of customer service ‘turnaround’ program, including new Customer Service organization reporting to the Director; comprehensive meter replacement and AMR/AMI program; and activities required to achieve industry-leading customer service performance standards – 98% actual meter readings; 95% collections rate; and prompt responses to customer queries

  • Actual Meter Readings 98% 98%
  • Collections Rate 95% 95%

Botswana Water Utilities Corporation and Botswana Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources

Comprehensive, short and long-term financial sustainability and tariff studies for the national takeover of water and wastewater operations by a single para-statal water and wastewater provider. Ongoing annual tariff and operational improvement reviews.

City of Los Angeles, CA, Department of Water and Power (DWP)

Independent Court Monitor of a Settlement Agreement under a class action lawsuit v. DWP, to resolve significant billing and customer service issues emanating from a poorly implemented Oracle Customer Care & Billing system (CC&B).

Botswana Power Corporation and Botswana Ministry of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources

Comprehensive Long-Term Financial Strategy, to ensure long-term financial sustainability, elimination of Government operating subsidies, and affordable tariffs.

City of Cleveland, Ohio

1) ‘turnaround’, organization-wide customer service improvement project for the City’s Water Division, under the direction of the Mayor, including implementation of 425,000 Automated Meter Reading (AMR/AMI) project;

2) implemented ‘financial turnaround plan’ for Cleveland Public Power Division with zero rate/tariff increases;

3) implemented long-term financial strategy for Cleveland Water Division to yield five years of zero rate increases, first time with no rate/tariff increases in over 20 years.

Paul L. Bender

Mr. Bender was a licensed Certified Public Accountant (Chartered Accountant equivalent) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1981 until 2010, and has an MBA from Boston University, MA.

2600 16th St South, #712
Arlington, VA USA
paul@paulbenderconsulting.com
571-225-7932