Salt River Project’s Board of Directors has named Jim Pratt as the company’s new General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. Pratt will officially start his new role on May 5 to lead Arizona’s largest community-based, not-for-profit utility.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected to lead SRP,” said Pratt. “It is a role steeped in history and has helped make a significant impact on our state and the communities we serve. I look forward to working with the incredible SRP team members to build upon the company’s strong foundation of dedicated service as we evolve to meet our community’s future needs.”
He added that while there are many challenges ahead, SRP is well-positioned for the future.
Pratt will lead SRP’s more than 5,000 employees as they continue to provide low-cost, reliable water and power. He will also work with SRP’s elected board and council, which remains steadfast in achieving the company’s vital 2035 Corporate Goals navigating a rapidly changing industry with customers’ best interests in mind.
“SRP’s continuing leadership and experience to plan for a reliable future remains critically important as the Valley, our state and industry deal with many changing issues, unprecedented growth and the ongoing drought. Jim Pratt is the right person to lead SRP at this pivotal time in our industry,” said SRP President David Rousseau. “Over the years, the Board has had the opportunity to work closely with him on many important issues, and it’s clear that he has the leadership skills, experience and vision to move the company forward.”
Pratt started at SRP in 1984 as an engineer. He was named Associate General Manager of Customer Operations & Chief Customer Executive in 2018. In that role, he led SRP teams responsible for servicing SRP’s water and power customers through Water Services, Customer Services & Strategy, Customer Programs and Distribution Grid Services Operations.
Pratt has worked in the utility industry for more than 38 years, with extensive experience in a variety of engineering and management positions relating to the generation, transmission, distribution, grid modernization, water and customer service segments of SRP’s business.
Pratt currently serves on the board of Associated Edison Illuminating Companies; is an Executive Committee Vice-Chair of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona; and on the board of The Phoenix Zoo. He is also a Utility Customer Research Consortium Member.
Pratt replaces SRP’s current GM and CEO, Mike Hummel, who will retire on May 5 after more than 40 years with the utility.
“I have worked with Jim Pratt for 35 years and I am confident that he will be an outstanding GM and CEO,” Hummel said. “He is a skilled leader who inspires others, encourages innovation and will work tirelessly to support customers.”
With Hummel at the helm since 2018, SRP has taken major steps to transition to a low-carbon resource portfolio, retiring coal, significantly increasing investment in solar generation and battery storage capacity, and committing to advancing renewable technologies to ensure reliable, affordable and sustainable water and power as demand has surged.
Hummel also has helped lead SRP’s careful water planning, including working with municipal, tribal and agricultural partners – which has helped serve the Valley with a portfolio of water supplies that is resilient despite a record drought that has impacted the watershed for more than 25 years. In addition to these efforts, SRP achieved new fiscal heights by earning the highest credit ratings of any large public power entity in the United States, including an AA+ rating from S&P Global and an Aa1 rating from Moody’s Investor Service.
The Board performed a comprehensive process to identify its next General Manager and CEO, who was selected from a group of internal candidates.