April 5, 2022
Starkville’s mayor and board of aldermen have announced that Edward Kemp, who has served as city engineer since 2008, will become general manager of Starkville Utilities, effective April 6.
“It’s an exciting time to be part of Starkville’s growth and development,” said Kemp. This is my hometown, and I see my new role with Starkville Utilities as an opportunity to continue my work as a public servant and give back to the community.”
Kemp is the son of Terry Kemp, who retired from Starkville Utilities in March after serving 11 years as general manager.
“I know I have big shoes to fill,” Edward Kemp said. “My father spent his entire career in public service through his work in the utility industry, and it was a great opportunity working with him personally and professionally while I was city engineer.”
Over the past 14 years, Kemp directed Starkville’s engineering and street departments and managed or planned more than $70 million in infrastructure-related improvement projects. He also collaborated extensively with the utility department on numerous construction, upgrade, maintenance and repair projects.
“I know quite a number of Starkville Utilities employees and have worked alongside many of them,” Kemp said. “I’m also familiar with the work they’ve been doing to improve performance and customer relationships. I look forward to meeting everyone in the department and learning how I can support their efforts to provide safe, reliable and affordable utilities for Starkville.”
Kemp also served as the city’s representative and project manager for state and federally funded transportation projects, which have included the Transportation Alternatives Program, Emergency Road and Bridge Replacement projects, and more recently a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) project involving improvements to the Highway 182 corridor.
“We are impressed by Edward’s leadership, his successful track record and the positive relationships he has established throughout city government and the community,” said Mayor Lynn Spruill. “He has demonstrated that he’s strongly committed to serving the people of Starkville and making a positive impact on our future.”
Before his employment with the city, Kemp worked as an associate for LandDesign, Inc., in Nashville, Tenn., and as an engineer for Springer Engineering in Starkville. He also completed an internship with Tennessee Valley Authority.
Kemp holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Mississippi State University, where he also currently serves as an adjunct instructor for the College of Art, Architecture and Design’s Department of Building Construction Science.
Kemp has served as state director of the Mississippi Engineering Society’s Tombigbee Chapter since 2016 and as a member of the Golden Triangle Solid Waste Authority since 2018. He’s a member of the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District PTO and is active in First Presbyterian Church.
“I’ve learned a lot during my time with the city, and every day, I get to work with people who take their responsibilities seriously and are always looking for opportunities to improve,” Kemp said. “We know customers hold our work to a high standard, and that will continue being the focus for Starkville Utilities—serving customers with excellence.”
Starkville Utilities is a public utility serving 14,000 residences, businesses and industries in Starkville, Mississippi as well as Mississippi State University. Its mission is to supply safe, reliable, and cost-effective electric and water service of superior quality and value that improves the lives of its customers.