Jerry Bennett founded Bennett Beam Consulting & Management LLC in 2023. Jerry has served as general manager for Miami County Rural Water District 2 in Hillsdale, Kansas for 33 years and plans to retire from this position in 2027.
He began his career in municipal finance in 1980, then became city manager for LaCrosse, KS in 1987. While in LaCrosse, Jerry was an adjunct professor for the Dodge City Community College Environmental Technology program. He earned his undergraduate degree from Friends University, where he is a member of the Order of the Tower Honor Society.
Jerry is the first Kansan to obtain the National Rural Water Association Utility Management Certification. He is a certified municipal clerk and maintains Kansas Class IV certifications in water and wastewater treatment. Jerry is president of the Kansas Rural Water Finance Authority and is a founding member of the Hillsdale Area Water Cooperative (HAWC), where he serves as treasurer.
A look at some of Jerry's experience and projects.
Jerry’s leadership style blends long-range vision with day-to-day operational discipline. Under his guidance, MI-2 has grown from a small rural water supplier into a modern utility operating and expanding toward a 12-million-gallon-per-day treatment capacity, serving thousands of customers across Miami County and surrounding areas. The District’s reliability, regulatory compliance, and financial stability are not accidental — they are the result of decades of careful planning, disciplined management, and an unwavering focus on public service...
For customers, Jerry Bennett’s legacy is simple but powerful: dependable water, stable rates, and a utility that plans for the future instead of reacting to crises. That is what true leadership looks like — and it is why Miami County RWD No. 2 is positioned for continued success.
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