Board of Directors

Jim F. Ferrell
Chairman

Jim Ferrell is the President/CEO of Jackson Energy Authority.  Prior to that he served as JEA’s Chief Operating Officer and also served as Electric System Engineer, Vice President of Operations, and Senior Vice President of the Electric Division. 

Jim graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B. S. in Electrical Engineering and earned his MBA from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is a Registered Professional Engineer. Jim serves as President and Chair of the Board of Directors of The Tennergy Corporation and Tennergy Services Corporation. He is also Chair of the Board of Directors of The UtiliCor Corporation. 

Mr. Ferrell currently serves on various committees of the American Public Power Association and the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association. He is a member of the Tennessee Gas Association and the Western District Managers Association.

Mr. Sharpe has served as Treasurer of Tennergy since its incorporation in January 1998.  He also served as the General Manager of the Brownsville Utilities Department’s electric, gas, water, wastewater, and propane systems, a position he held from 1977 – 2008. He now serves as a board advisor for the Brownsville Energy Authority (doing business as Brownsville Utilities Department).

Mr. Sharpe began his career with Brownsville Utilities Department as a summer employee in 1961, and served as Assistant Manager from 1964 to 1977. He is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology.

Mr. Smith is one of the founding members of the Humboldt Chamber Ambassadors; He has been the TN Municipal Electric Power Association Engineering & Operations President and currently serves on TN Valley Public Power Association Research & Development Board, and also the Western District Representative for the TVPPA Electric Operations Board.

In addition to his position as a Director of Tennergy, Mr. Nipp serves as the Senior Vice President of Jackson Energy Authority’s gas division. Mr. Nipp has served over 25 years with JEA, filling various levels of responsibility including Gas System Engineer and Vice President of Engineering and Operations. 

Mr. Nipp is a graduate of the University of Tennessee (B.S. Civil Engineering; M.S. Engineering Administration), and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the States of Tennessee and Mississippi.

Mrs. Nanney has served as Tennergy’s Vice President and CFO since August 2002. She is responsible for the financial reporting, as well as providing various financial services to Tennergy’s customers. Prior to August 2002, Mrs. Nanney worked with the Jackson Energy Authority (JEA) as the Finance Manager, where her responsibilities included budget development, long-range financial planning, and cost studies. 

Mrs. Nanney served as the Controller for Trinity Christian Academy from 1998 until February 2002, when she returned to JEA. She had previously worked for JEA (then, Jackson Utility Division) from 1990 until 1996 as a Financial Analyst and as the Manager of Finance and Accounting. Her utility career began with the Tennessee Valley Authority, where she worked as a field accountant from 1982 until 1990.

Mrs. Nanney is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.  She also received her M.B.A. from the University of Memphis.