By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
Lt. Gen. Ron Burgess (Ret.), who rose to the level of three-star general in the U.S. Army, will independently assess the Birmingham Water Works from top to bottom with no limitations and recommend structural changes where needed, BWW Board Chair Tereshia Huffman said on Monday.
“It is no mystery that prior BWW boards have struggled to build the trust needed with the public while modernizing our operations to best serve our customers,” Huffman said during a media briefing.
Huffman introduced Burgess saying the Water Works needed a “more effective approach to the system’s operations” and wanted a highly respected and experienced leader for the job.
That person was Burgess, who led the Defense Intelligence Agency where he had responsibility for more than 17,000 employees and then became the Chief Operating Officer at Auburn University where he led all operations that included more than 5,000 employees and 25,000 students, she said.
“We are pleased to work with General Ron Burgess to lead this effort [at reorganization] as well as guide the process in hiring a new, long-term general manager,” Huffman said. “His strong commitment to public service is undeniable.”
Birmingham Water Works General Manager, Michael Johnson, who had held the position since 2019, retired in June.
Regarding the search for a new GM, Burgess said BWW for the first time will began a national search and seek the services of an executive search firm, Baker Tilly Search & Staffing.
About the structural changes, Burgess said, “The board has made it clear that there are no limitations to my review and recommendations. We are starting with a review of the board, senior management, all employee areas as well as operations, communications, customer service and other important functions. There is no pre-conceived finding from me or this board.”
“We will find the good and bad and put it out to the public and then we will more importantly recommend a path forward,” he added. “My hope is that we will make recommendations for structural changes to the board no later than early 2025.”
See footage from the Birmingham Water Works and a discussion with Huffman and Gen. Burgess here.
