North West Utility District Hires New General Manager

  • Tuesday, August 4, 2015

North West Utility District of Hamilton County Board President Phyllis Marr announced Tuesday that David Collett has been hired to be the new general manager of the District.  He will join the District on Sept. 1, following employment with the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development where he served as assistant to the State Director and Administrative Programs Director.  

Ms. Marr stated “The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to offer David the job.  He is an impressive individual who is very familiar with the area.  He possesses the skills to be effective for our customers and lead the District into the future.” 

North West Utility District Board Secretary Fred Morgan, who chaired the District’s Candidate Selection Committee, stated, “We received resumes from individuals located across the nation applying to be the District’s new general manager.  We established selection criteria, created a short list of candidates, and conducted interviews.  As we learned more about David Collett, he became the District’s unanimous choice for the position.”  

In his most recent position at USDA, Mr. Collett managed the budget, salaries/benefits programs for 110 employees in Tennessee, managed process and procurement of information technology for all employees in the state, managed utilization of federally appropriated funding dollars, coordinated management control reviews and internal compliance, and assisted the state director with implementation of the department’s staffing plan for Tennessee. 

Many local residents will recall that Mr. Collett's mother was an Honors English teacher at Soddy-Daisy High School where he attended and won varsity letters as the place kicker for the football team.  He then received a college scholarship and was the place kicker for the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and after graduating was drafted into the NFL by the Indianapolis Colts.  “This is an exciting opportunity for me and my family to live in this wonderful area where we have always wanted to live,” said Mr. Collett. “I look forward to working with the Board and the good people who are our customers to make the North West Utility District the very best utility possible.  We will provide great customer service and water at an affordable cost." 

Mr. Collett succeeds David Callahan as general ,anager of the District.  Mr. Callahan was recently recognized by the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts as General Manager of the Year in Tennessee and presently serves as president of the TAUD Board of Directors.  When asked to comment regarding his successor, Mr. Callahan stated, “The Board of Commissioners conducted its due diligence, planned a deliberate process, attracted nationwide interest for the position, and has hired a very talented and dedicated individual.  After more than 14 years here, it will be my honor to be a constant resource for our new general manager who I think will do a great job for the District and our customers.  This is a momentous occasion for our District.”   

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