SHEFFIELD — Customers, employees and infrastructure will be the focus of Sheffield Utilities under the leadership of its new general manager.

Steve Hargrove, the former General Manager of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Combustion Turbines & Distributed Resources, was recently hired to replace former general manager Allen Hughes.

Hargrove is a lifelong resident of Sheffield and has served as interim general manager since Oct. 30. He is also chairman of the Sheffield Board of Education.

According to a Sheffield Utilities press release, Hargrove has more than 30 years of experience with the TVA including plant manager of the Colbert Fossil Plant and most recently general manager and has been responsible for managing, planning, staffing, organizing and controlling 14 combustion turbine generation facilities and two distributed generation facilities.

Hargrove said he plans to focus on several areas including customer service, engaging employees in the operation of the Utilities Department, and the health of the city’s water, sewer, gas and electricity system.

He also wants to focus on keeping utility rates low for the system’s 20,000 customers.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Hargrove said.

He said he has a principle he calls the three Ps: “people plus process equals performance.”

Hargrove said he began working for TVA after graduating high school and worked his way up over the next 33 years.

“My last five years have been on the road,” he said. “I retired from TVA because I wanted to come home. I was probably going to work locally and this job became available. I think the good Lord has opened this door for me.”

Sheffield Mayor Ian Sanford said Hargrove will do a good job for the Utilities Department and the city.

“We’re fortunate to have him,” Sanford said.

In October, Hughes became the civil engineering manager after serving as general manager for about seven years.

Tommy Barnes, who held the civil manager’s position, is now the manager over water and wastewater engineering.

Russ Corey can be reached at 256-740-5738 or russ.corey@TimesDaily.com.