Power in Community: A Message from TUA’s President
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As the President and CEO of YOUR local utility, TUA, it is an honor and a privilege to lead an organization that is committed to providing essential services to our community. Let me introduce myself and share a little information on how our dedicated team works tirelessly to ensure you have safe and reliable access to water, wastewater, electric and broadband services.
My name is Allen Potter, and I have had the privilege of serving in the utility industry for 20 years. My journey began on the right-of-way crew, cutting trees and cleaning up brush in 2004. Since 2004, I have served in many positions with utilities and consulting firms. I knew from my first day on the job that this industry was the career that I wanted to pursue. My family moved to Tullahoma in 2008, for me to begin my career at TUA. Speaking of family, my wife, Elaine, and I have a 14-year-old daughter, Breelynn, and a 12-year-old son, Brayden.
TUA serves water to nearly 11,000 customers in Tullahoma and the surrounding area. We also provide wastewater services to more than 8,100 customers inside the city limits of Tullahoma. The water and wastewater team manages an extensive network of pipes, pumps, and treatment facilities to ensure safe and reliable services. Managing these services is crucial for public health and environmental protection. TUA’s wastewater treatment processes are designed to safely treat and return water to the environment. The team operates a treatment facility that removes contaminants and protects local waterways. By investing in modern technology and infrastructure, we help to preserve our natural resources for future generations.
The electric department serves nearly 12,000 customers in Tullahoma and a small portion of Franklin and Moore counties. The team maintains and operates three substations, 250 miles of overhead lines, and 70 miles of underground lines. The electric department is recognized as a Reliable Public Power Provider by the American Public Power Association for demonstrating high proficiency in reliability, safety, and workforce development. Currently, only 91 out of more than 2,000 public power utilities hold this designation. TUA is also proud to state that your electric rates are in the lowest 10% of all utilities in the Tennessee Valley (153 local power companies in the valley).
In today’s digital age, access to high-speed internet is vital. TUA LightTube services ensure that you stay connected for work, education, healthcare, and entertainment. We are continuously upgrading our infrastructure to provide more reliable and redundant services. I can say with near certainty that TUA LightTube’s customer support is second to none in the broadband industry!
With only 85 team members, our team is small but mighty. Each team member is dedicated to delivering high-quality services and ensuring customer satisfaction. We are proud of the hard work and expertise of our team, who manage to serve a large customer base safely, efficiently, and effectively. I have seen firsthand the commitment and dedication to community that this team has. It may be restoring electric and broadband services during storms or restoring water services during frigid temperatures, the TUA team stands ready to serve!
We believe in the power of community! The TUA team is in the early stages of implementing our first-ever strategic plan, Vision 2025 – Navigating the Future. The utility industry is ever-evolving, Vision 2025 will serve as TUA’s roadmap for our journey towards excellence, reliability, sustainability, and community engagement. TUA considered our challenges and opportunities on the horizon to determine our five strategic initiatives of Vision 2025 – Develop Community Partnerships, Upgrade the Customer Experience, Workforce Recruitment & Retention, Preparing for System Growth, and Enhancing Internal Communication. Many exciting changes are on the horizon for your utility. We invite you to join us on this journey. We value your feedback and strive to be transparent in our operations. Your input helps us improve our services to better meet your needs. We encourage you to reach out to us with questions, concerns, and advice.
Our commitment to safety, customer focus, integrity, dedication, and innovation drives us to continuously improve and adapt. We are honored to be servants of our community and do not take the responsibility lightly!
Thank you for your continued support and trust.
