Retired JEA CEO Paul McElroy receives leadership award

Orlando, Florida — Paul McElroy, retired CEO and managing director of JEA in Jacksonville, Fla., received the Mark Crisson Leadership and Managerial Excellence Award during the American Public Power Association’s National conference in Orlando on June 22. The award recognizes managers at a utility, joint action agency, or state or regional association who steer their organizations to new levels of excellence, lead by example, and inspire staff to do better.

McElroy worked a total of 17 years for JEA and served as CEO from 2012 until his retirement in 2018. In May 2020, after two years of retirement, the newly seated JEA Board asked McElroy if he would return to JEA as interim CEO while they conducted a national CEO search. Under his visionary leadership, JEA excelled in financial stability, customer service, employee satisfaction and engagement, as well as operational excellence.

In addition to leading JEA, McElroy has been a leader in the national public power community. He served as a member of the APPA Board's Executive Committee, holding the position of treasurer, as well as chair of APPA's Finance and Audit Committee and its Retirement Committee. He represented JEA and public power before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, ratings and investment agencies, U.S. House of Representatives staff briefings, and numerous Jacksonville City Council and Committee meetings.