Wes Kelley, president and CEO of Huntsville Utilities in Huntsville, Alabama, received the Mark Crisson Leadership and Managerial Excellence Award during the American Public Power Association’s National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The award recognizes managers at a utility, joint action agency, or state or regional association who steer their organizations to new levels of excellence, lead by example, and inspire staff to do better.
Prior to joining Huntsville Utilities in 2017, Wes led Columbia Power & Water Systems and Pulaski Electric System, both public power utilities in Tennessee. Wes is the chair of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association and vice chair of APPA’s membership committee. He has also served on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Regional Energy Resource Council and the Customer Planning Council. At Huntsville Utilities, Wes has defined key metrics and key performance indicators to show successful growth in the organization and ensure utility efforts benefit the customer. By leveraging transparent metrics, Wes has created a culture of doing the right thing. He instills a sense of understanding and pride in the workforce to grasp the importance of Huntsville’s work in the community.