Dr. Harry Hobbs - Vice President Employee Engagement Huntsville Utilities - “It’s A God Thing”

By Terry L. Watson - Photos Provided by Dr. Harry Hobbs

“Harry Hobbs, Huntsville Utilities, how may I help you?” That is how our interview began with a phone call to Huntsville, AL, resident Dr. Harry Hobbs. For those who have been blessed to know him, one obvious thing is that Dr. Harry Hobbs is committed to serving his community and helping others.

It was 1960 in Louisville, KY, when Dr. Hobbs was born in the middle of the color line to a white father and a black mother. He was abandoned by his father and was raised in the full black experience. By the grace of God, Harry was surrounded by individuals who invested in him and helped him to become the person he is today: the first person of color and vice president in the history of the largest municipality-multiservice utilities in the United States.

In his role with Huntsville Utilities, Dr. Hobbs oversees various operations such as employee engagement, hiring, firing, promotions, corrective actions, safety and security, facilities, master plants, etc. Now in his seventh year in this role, Harry shares that he loves providing people with opportunities. “When I see someone who looks like me, and I am able to give them an opportunity to have a job as a utility investor, it makes it all worth it.”

The path that he has taken in life has come with its share of highs and lows. Dr. Hobbs shares that early in life, he was exposed to racism, receiving it from both sides. What he thought was a curse would actually turn out to be a blessing. “I have been able to mediate between the races and economic levels and be a viable voice in my community,” he says.

At the age of 11, Harry became a boy scout. He became the first Eagle Scout of color in Kentucky. The skills he acquired would propel him into a successful career in the United States Army. “The military was my way out. For 30 years, I traveled around the world and was able to pick up several degrees. When I retired, I was the Senior Missle Systems Warrant Officer and was inducted into four different Army Halls of Fame,” he shares. Additionally, he served on the 5th District Military Academies selection committee for 10 years.

After 30 years of service in the military, Dr. Hobbs worked as a high school teacher in the city of Huntsville and a JROTC teacher at Columbia High School. That role mirrors the role he previously had as a college professor while in the Army. In addition to being a high school teacher, he worked as a consultant for the cities of Huntsville and Madison, AL, police and fire departments. In 2010, Dr. Hobbs was selected to be the Communications Relations Officer for the Huntsville Police Department and served until 2014. In 2011, Dr.. Hobbs was selected as the youth mentor of the year by the 100 Black Man Organization. That same year, he was selected to be a member of the 5th District State Representative’s Military Nomination Committee.

Dr. Hobbs’s recognition of his many acts of service continues. He was selected to receive the Harriett Tubman 2020 award for his outreach to the underserved communities in North Alabama. In 2021, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Hall of Fame (Eagle Rising Society). He accepted a state committee nomination from Governor Kay Ivey to work on the Alabama Works Council in 2021 and the Workforce Development State Board. Dr. Hobbs served on the board of Leadership Huntsville from 2022-2024 and also accepted a board position for Huntsville Bible College (Historical Black College or University) in 2022. Additionally, he accepted a board position for Leadership Huntsville in 2023.

Dr. Hobbs holds two Doctorate degrees, one in Business Administration (Florida Institute of Technology) and one in Human Resources Management (Western Pacific University, Honolulu, Hawaii); Master of Science degree in Human Services, Murray State University, Kentucky; Bachelor of Science degree in Resources Management, Troy State at Dothan, Alabama; and an Associate of Science degree in Missile and Munitions Technology, John C. Calhoun State College, Alabama. He also holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and a Project Management Professional Certification.

Dr. Hobbs shares his life with his wife of 44 years, Erica. They have two daughters, Shara, a former U.S. Army Soldier, and Shauna, a Major in the Army Reserves Nurse Corps. They also have four grandchildren: Cree, Julian, Liam, and Layla.

Dr. Hobbs says that his grandfather has inspired and impacted his life. “I was the only multiracial member in my family. All of my other siblings were black. I am half white and half black. My grandfather was my father figure; he raised me and was never ashamed of me. He gave me an example of what hard work looks like. He had a lawn care and carpentry business. My grandmother cleaned homes for very affluent caucasian people in the Louisville area. I stand on their shoulders,” he says.

Dr. Hobbs’s acts of service continue today. Most recently, he was sworn in as Commissioner for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. “I will play a small role in overseeing the curriculum and programs for all of the colleges in the state of Alabama,” he says. This role means a whole lot to Dr. Hobbs as he is reminded that his mother had a 6th-grade education and always wanted better for her children. “I thank God that I live in America where hard work and God’s unmerited favor can take you places you never thought possible. I thank all the educators and mentors who poured into me through the years. I stand on their shoulders,” Dr. Hobbs says.

Looking ahead, Dr. Hobbs will continue to seek ways to help others in his community by way of service. He shares that he has been asked to serve on the Madison City School Board and is pondering that decision. He has been asked to pursue a career in politics. Regardless of what he does, Dr. Hobbs wants to be in a position to offer solutions.