Hendrix gives a History of Hustle in Utility Industry

Scott Hendrix, CEO of Tombigbee Electric Power Association, and its subsidiary Tombigbee Fiber, LLC, provided a fascinating keynote about how hard work and hustle characterize the utility industry. Our 32nd President, Franklin D. Roosevelt said the primary purpose of both TVA and the entire utility industry is to “change and improve the standards of living of the people.” Hendrix said, “Larger cities across America were the rst to bene t from organized water, gas, telephone, and electric service. However, it was the hustle and hard work of public and cooperatively owned utilities that improved living standards for people in small towns and rural America.” Mr. Hendrix recounted examples of how technology has changed people’s lives and pointed out that some technologies thought of new, have in fact been around for a long time. The rst electric car was invented in 1932, and beroptic cable has been in use since 1965.

Today, Tombigbee EPA in Tupelo, MS provides electricity to over 45,000 members. After just 3.4 years, Tombigbee Fiber now serves over 19,000 customers, and they relied on CSA’s CMB+Fiber billing and provisioning system to help achieve that rate of growth. Mr. Hendrix: “That’s what you call real hustle.”

Fun Times on the Coast

Clockwise, from far left - Families enjoyed the photobooth at Family Fun Night (FFN); Arial view of FFN dinner; A successful catch during morning deepsea shing excursion; CSA sand sculpture; More family fun during dinner buffet; Time to show off the dance moves at FFN; and Greg Fay helps Scott Blassingame cut the CSA 85th anniversary cake.