Contact: Maridith Geuder
The president and chief executive officer of Entergy Mississippi will speak Thursday [Jan. 27] at Mississippi State University.
Carolyn Shanks, a 1983 MSU accounting graduate, is the 2000 Leo W. Seal Jr. Distinguished Speaker. Her presentation at a 2 p.m. program in the Rogers Auditorium of McCool Hall is sponsored by the College of Business and Industry, sponsor of the annual speaker series.
Directed primarily to students, Shanks' remarks will address the general topic of "what it takes to be successful." Interested members of the general public are invited to attend.
Named last year to her current position, she is responsible for the Entergy Corporation's electric distributions system, customer service, economic development, and regulatory and governmental affairs in the state. She joined the global energy company in 1983 as an accountant with Mississippi Power & Light Co. She later was transferred to System Energy Resources Inc., a subsidiary directing the operations of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station near Port Gibson.
In 1986, she oversaw the development of business plans that supported the consolidation of Entergy's five nuclear units under one operating company. Her work laid the foundation for the power company's decision to expand its nuclear organization into a national company. She became business services director for Entergy Operations Inc. in 1994 and vice president-finance and administration of Entergy Nuclear in 1997.
She currently serves on the board of directors of the Business and Industry Political Action Committee and the Mississippi Economic Council. Shanks also chairs major projects for Habitat for Humanity and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
The lecture series is named for the 1949 MSU business college alumnus and longtime head of Gulfport-based Hancock Banking System.