Stuart (Stu) Smith, recently retired superintendent of Spring Valley Public Utilities in Spring Valley, Minnesota, received the Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award during the American Public Power Association’s Public Power Connect: Virtual Summit & Business Meeting. The award recognizes managers of small utilities serving fewer than 2,500 meters. These managers have a very small staff and must assume multiple roles. The seven hats they must wear are: planning and design, administration, public relations, field supervision, accounting, human resources, and community leadership.
In addition to successfully managing the local utility, Smith served on the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency board since 2014 where he brought his wise small-town perspective to the board.
“Stu represents all of what makes public power so important to a community,” said SMMPA Chief Executive Officer Dave Geschwind. “This award is a fitting tribute to his career of service to Spring Valley.
Smith has been a member of the Kiwanis of Spring Valley, the local chamber of commerce, and the Spring Valley Sportsman Club. He is a Spring Valley native and has poured himself into his work for the utility and his community throughout his career.
