April 14, 2023
When Starkville Utilities began looking for a qualified industry professional to serve as assistant general manager, the search ended with utility veteran and Starkville resident John Scott.
Scott retired from Entergy Mississippi in 2021 as senior manager, transmission grid, after a 35-year career that included progressive leadership positions with Entergy in Mississippi and Louisiana. He started his new job with Starkville Utilities on March 10.
“John’s familiarity with electrical utility systems and operations made him an ideal fit for our team,” said Edward Kemp, general manager of Starkville Utilities. “His extensive engineering and leadership experience will be key assets for our customers as we work to maintain Starkville’s electrical, water and sewer systems in top condition and plan for future growth.”
A native of Benton, Kentucky, Scott graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in electrical engineering in 1986, the same year he began his Entergy career as a design support engineer in Jackson.
In his final position with Entergy Mississippi, Scott provided strategic direction and oversight for the company’s transmission grid comprising 3,041 miles of transmission lines, 210 substations and 461,000 customers.
“Starkville Utilities may be a smaller organization, but at the end of the day, the principles are the same—to safely provide services that customers need for an affordable price with high reliability,” Scott said. “What makes a utility great is its employees, and Starkville Utilities also has strong support and leadership from the mayor and board of aldermen. Everyone I’ve met has been very welcoming.”
Scott spent his first weeks in office meeting with employees and making contacts with city and county agencies that partner with Starkville Utilities in storm preparation and emergency response. He’s also familiarizing himself with Starkville Utilities’ capital improvement and maintenance plans.
“There are some exciting projects going on in the city that we’re involved with,” he said. “Work will soon move forward on the Lampkin-Main water system upgrade in downtown Starkville, and we’re upgrading portions of our electrical infrastructure to prepare for the Highway 182/Martin Luther King Jr. corridor revitalization project. These will be major improvements for customers once they’re completed.”
Scott and his wife, Cindy Jennings Scott, a native of Mantee, Mississippi, moved from Madison to Starkville last year when she began working for the Wildlife Services National Training Academy at Mississippi State University. They have two adult children, Sara and Cameron.
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.