The Memphis City Council today voted unanimously to confirm Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s reappointment of Jerry Collins Jr. as Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Collins will serve a five-year term. His appointment will become official with the approval of today’s minutes at the March 19, 2013, meeting of the Memphis City Council.

“I am deeply grateful to the Mayor and the Council for the opportunity to continue to lead MLGW,” said Collins. “MLGW will continue to provide reliable service to our customers at the lowest possible rates, and we will continue to work hard to improve the quality of life for Shelby County residents.”

Collins has served as President and CEO of MLGW since 2007. He is the tenth person to lead the utility. A native Memphian, Collins previously served as Director of Public Works for the City of Memphis. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Tennessee.

Under his leadership, MLGW has twice earned the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) RP3 award for providing customers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service. In addition, the utility has maintained high bond ratings and has continued to provide low rates – MLGW had the third lowest combined average utility bill for water, electricity, natural gas and wastewater according to a survey of 60 utilities last year.

A former Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Memphis' Herff College of Engineering, Collins received a bachelor of science in civil engineering in 1975 and a master of science in civil engineering in 1976. In 2011, he received the Herff Honor Award for Distinguished Service in Engineering by the University of Memphis, which recognizes engineers whose professional and/or personal achievements have brought honor and distinction to the college and who have made significant contributions to the engineering profession.