Paula Merritt / The Meridian StarWayne Henson, left, chief executive officer of East Mississippi Electric Power Association retires this wee after 43 years with the company. Randy Carroll, chief operating officer, will step into the top position.

East Mississippi has always been Wayne Henson’s most special place on Earth. So much so that he never had the desire to live and work somewhere else.

Henson, 65, officially retires Jan. 12 from East Mississippi Electric Power Association after more than 43 years with the company. He worked his way up and has served the last 12 years as chief executive officer. He will be replaced by another EMEPA veteran, Chief Operations Officer Randy Carroll.

EMEPA predominately serves customers in Lauderdale, Clarke, Kemper and Winston counties and parts of Attala, Neshoba, Newton, Wayne and Jasper counties.

A native of DeKalb, Henson finished high school in Clarke County and later married a girl from Clarke County.

“From high school in Clarke County I came work to work here (at EMEPA),” Henson said. “I’ve watched the entire east Mississippi area grow. I haven’t wanted to work anywhere else. No other place captured my imagination like east Mississippi did.

“I started as an engineering co-op student at Mississippi State and worked eight months here as a student and then returned as a full-time electrical engineer.”

Henson said focuses during his tenure included satisfying the cooperative’s approximately 38,000 customers, hiring qualified employees and economic development.

“We have focused on being future-oriented with infrastructure to serve those members of our association,” Henson said. “We did that by focusing on hiring good employees. They have been a real asset and blessing to work with.

“Most of these employees grew up in this area, so they, therefore, were committed to this area. Another very positive thing was working with local economic development leaders in our area to grow the economy.”

Projects Henson and economic leaders worked on included Winston Medical Center in Louisville, the plywood mill in Louisville, John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital in DeKalb, Emelia Products in Kemper and the former Handy Hardware Development, now known as NFI.

Other notable projects included the Jones County Junior College extension in Stonewall, and a lineman training program at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba. He said the lineman program has more than 100 graduates.

Henson said installation of automatic meter reading equipment was futuristic. The equipment lets EMEPA workers know the meter is out about as fast as when the customer realizes it.

Henson said he will work a small farm in Clarke County in retirement, along with being involved in economic development opportunities in the area.

Henson said relationships within the company will be missed.

“This is a great group of people to work with,” Henson said. “Randy has been here 39 years. I’m proud of the way they developed over the years. I won’t miss some of the traveling I’ve done. I’ve put in a lot of road miles over the last few years.”

Henson was board chairman of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, which included 153 local power companies in Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky. He said he logged more than 200,000 miles tending to TVA work.

“While I did all that, Randy served as COO and handled that job very well,” Henson said. “Randy came to work here as a draftsman 39 years ago and He worked his way up going to night school to get his degree. I’m very confident Randy will do a great job.”

Henson earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University in 1974 and completed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Management Internship Program through the University of Nebraska in 1981.

Henson is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers where he has served as a board member representing the state of Mississippi as well as president of the Mississippi Engineering Society.

Henson serves on numerous boards, including The Riley Foundation, East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, Southeastern Federal Power Customers and Electric Power Associations of Mississippi.

Henson and his wife, LaNeta, have two children, a son, Brian Henson and wife, Mary Martha, and daughter Joy Sowell and husband, Terry, and two granddaughters, Avery and Lenley Sowell. Henson serves as a men’s Sunday school teacher and Deacon at Union Baptist Church in Clarke County.

Carroll said he has mixed emotions taking over for Henson.

“My emotions range from tremendous excitement to recognizing the responsibility to serve 38,000 members and 145 employees and families in a leadership role,” Carroll said. I am excited and humbled.”

Carroll said no drastic changes are anticipated.

“No significant changes I see are on the horizon,” Carroll said. “The customer demands the same quality of service, reliability and attention. We are here to serve them as we have for 78 years.”

Henson put it in simpler terms.

“The lights don’t stay on because of me or Randy. It’s been the 145 employees who do the day to day operations and interaction with our members,” Henson said.

“This is but one role that is changing. That means 144 roles are not,” Carroll said. “Every transition has a few challenges that come up. But I have no doubt the EMEPA employees are ready for those challenges.”

Carroll has more than 39 years experience in the electric utility industry. As Chief Operating Officer at EMEPA Carroll was responsible for managing the daily operations, including strategically planning and projecting EMEPA’s future growth, capital requirements, expense budgets and impacts to retail rate design.

Carroll participates in Wholesale Purchased Power negotiations with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Mississippi Power Co. and serves on Tennessee Valley Public Power Association working committees.

Carroll received his bachelor of science in business and industry from Mississippi State and the Management Internship Certificate and Advanced Management Certificate through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Executive Training Center in Lincoln, Neb.

Carroll and his wife, Melanie, have two sons, John Carroll and Nathan Carroll and wife, Ashley. Carroll is an active member of First Baptist Church of Meridian.

“My leadership style isn’t exactly Wayne’s leadership style,” Carroll said. “This is not about one person. EMEPA is EMEPA and is owned by its members.”