Without objection, the Memphis City Council this evening approved Jerry Collins to be the next President and CEO of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division. He becomes the tenth person to lead the utility.

Collins, a registered Professional Engineer, has led the City of Memphis Public Works Division for the past seven years. Public Works is responsible for roads, sewers and storm drains inside the City of Memphis. He has received numerous awards for operational excellence and efficiency in the field of wastewater management, and under his leadership the City of Memphis went 22 years without a sewer rate increase.

In addition to his duties at the City, Collins has served as the Interim Chief Utility Officer at MLGW since June, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the utility. Under his leadership at MLGW, overtime spending has been reduced and a renewed emphasis has been placed on customer service.

�I appreciate the City Council�s vote of confidence. This is an opportunity that I look forward to,� Collins said. �I am an advocate for the ratepayer, and will work to ensure that our customers have reliable power at the lowest costs.�

Collins will begin as President and CEO after the Council minutes are approved in two weeks.

MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 420,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County. A 2007 survey of large metropolitan areas showed that MLGW has the sixth lowest combined rates in the nation.