GEUS offers a rich history as it became the first municipally owned utility in Texas on March 4, 1891. In 1988, voters approved the separation of the electric utility from the City of Greenville administration, amending City Charter and creating a separate and fully autonomous Electric Utility Board and defining transfers of revenue from the electric utility to the City of Greenville. The GEUS Board of Trustees elected to bring fiber optic cable to the Greenville community and formed GEUS Cable & Internet in 2000. In 2010, GEUS added a new generation plant with three modern, quick start generating units. GEUS is currently adding 105MW of natural gas-fired generation to its energy portfolio.
GEUS services an area of approximately 33 square miles inside the City of Greenville, Texas, with a total service area of 97 square miles within Hunt County. Customer growth increased 22% since 2014 and is up 12% over the past 5 years. Currently, the system supports 17,464 electric customers and 4,903 TV and Internet customers. In FY 2023, GEUS sold nearly 529 million kWh of electricity.
In 1975 the City of Greenville, along with three other cities, formed Texas Municipal Power Agency (TMPA) to build a 462MW coal fired steam generation plant. The energy generated from the TMPA Gibbons Creek plant was split among the member cities based on their pro rata share. TMPA members decommissioned the Gibbons Creek plant in recent years, but GEUS maintains 10% ownership interest in TMPA’s assets including transmission.
GEUS owns, operates and maintains the following transmission and distribution facilities:
9 Substations:
32.1 Miles of Transmission
594 Miles of Overhead Distribution Lines
149 Miles of Underground Distribution Lines
Greenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat of Hunt County and is roughly 45 miles northeast of Dallas, near Lake Tawakoni, a popular recreation area for East Texas. L3 Communications Integrated Systems L.P., an aircraft systems integration company, is the city's largest employer (14% of total operating revenue in 2023) with roughly 6,500 employees and is also the largest employer in northeast Texas. Greenville is a hub for rural areas surrounding the city and offers the region a new recreational center and sports park; great shopping, restaurants, and employment opportunities; and a wooded environment. The city offers a wonderful mixture of urban and rural environments.
The General Manager is a direct report to the GEUS Board of Trustees, a five-member governing board with members appointed by the GEUS Board and confirmed by the City Council to govern Greenville’s community consumer-owned electric, TV, and Internet services. Trustees can serve two consecutive three-year terms, which are on a staggered basis. The General Manager directs 134 personnel through six direct reports, including a Chief Operating Officer directing Engineering, Operations, Power Production, and Technology functions as well as leaders directing the functions of Business Services, Compliance, Customer Service, Energy Market Management, and Marketing/Key Accounts.
CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
The next General Manager will inherit direction of a utility with a cohesive leadership team and governing body and be expected to continue a culture of assertive action to protect the interests of the Greenville community. Greenville began experiencing substantive residential and commercial growth during the pandemic and continuing today. The city enjoys a healthy commercial and industrial base and is home to L3 Harris, a diverse range of manufacturing, and other industry that supports a healthy economy and higher-than-average load factor. Growth reached 5% or higher since before the pandemic and closer to 12% recently and including 6,700 residential units proposed and 1,900 under active construction.
The environment of extraordinary customer growth necessitates high performance and demand of the General Manager and employees and a strong culture of ownership and engagement in the mission of the organization. Continuing leadership, proper management style, and resultant culture are high priorities for the GEUS Board. The organization views all aspects of the current leadership style and culture as ideal moving into the future. They want General Manager candidates that share their values and high prioritization of efficient performance, assertive action, and quality service with competitive cost to customers, while balancing the need to foster a strong internal team environment, workforce investment, and absolute pride in the organization. An empathetic leader with listening skills is required. The General Manager should create an environment where leaders of the organization are engaged with community leaders while maintaining close communication across the team and consistent external messaging from all levels of the organization. Ideal candidates will display proof of these characteristics in current and past leadership roles. GEUS seeks at least 15 years of industry experience including substantive leadership as an executive of an electric utility organization with similar characteristics. Experience with an electric utility that also offers fiber or broadband services would be a plus.
Power supply is a substantive challenge for GEUS that the organization met successfully for years with an excellent support team managing supply and navigation of ERCOT with an evolved mindset that minimizes or eliminates the damage caused by unforeseen events. GEUS takes advantage of surplus capacity in owned and contracted resources, allowing the organization to take advantage of fluctuations in ERCOT energy pricing and the capability to sell or purchase energy dependent on market conditions. Ideal General Manager candidates will offer applicable experience in an environment that includes owned-and-operated generation facilities, power purchase agreements, RTO interface, and an environment that utilizes risk management and hedging techniques to protect the health and financial viability of the organization and member rates.
GEUS does not employ a government affairs executive and relies distinctly on the General Manager, direct reports, and consultants to perform the function. This work often engages the General Manager deeply in legislative and regulatory affairs and rate and transmission tariff projects with the assistance of consulting firms. Human Resources functions are shared with the City of Greenville, but the General Manager and his or her team are engaged deeply in Human Resource affairs. Candidates with experience engaging in regulatory and legislative matters and those who can display evidence of influence in this environment, as well as those with experience in workforce management, are desired.
Financial acumen is another priority for the GEUS Board of Trustees. GEUS offers the next General Manager strong financial condition and advancing economic conditions in the community. GEUS is accomplishing its financial goals and increasingly improving financial metrics to ideal conditions including healthy and increasing reserves that position the organization for resilience through challenging market conditions, all while reducing or maintaining rates for customers. Ideal candidates will offer strong financial acumen that includes municipal debt financing, rates experience, and general financial planning and related strategy planning experience.
Greenville is evolving its TV services and internet offerings into a streaming television service at present and with a longer-term plan to offer fiber-to-the-home. Although competitive offerings are available to Greenville customers, leadership and governance of the GEUS organization are resolute to continue to invest in and evolve the service offerings for the community.
GEUS provides customer service and billing services for City of Greenville utilities including water, wastewater, and solid waste.
Candidates must offer absolute commitment to safety as a priority. Evidence of such success in creating a strong safety culture is a requirement. GEUS achieved no reportable safety accidents from 2021-2023 and must repeat such performance long into the future.
It is desired that candidates live within a short distance of Greenville and offer a track record engaging with community interests and leadership of non-utility community organizations. GEUS has an established Community Powered program that offers employees opportunities to engage in numerous community events each year.
BENEFITS/RELOCATION
GEUS will cover the customary cost to relocate the successful candidate.
GEUS offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits program. A benefits summary is available upon request. The organization utilizes the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Eligibility for retirement is 20 years at any age or 5 years and over 60 years of age. Retirement calculation benefit is a healthy 2:1 ratio.
TIMELINE
Resumes preferred by April 4
Semi-Finalist Interviews – By May 2
Finalist Interview on-site – By May 19
Employment likely begins between June and early July 2025
CONTACT INFORMATION AND RESUME SUBMITTAL (PDF PREFERRED)
Patrick Prouse - Senior Recruiter - Mycoff Fry Partners LLC
