CHATTANOOGA, TN, April 2, 2018 – While engaged by one of the largest public power utilities in the U.S. (also one of the largest producers of electricity in the country) to conduct a single search for a Plant General Manager, Coal, The McAulay Smith Firm successfully recruited three highly regarded power industry executives to fill three separate Manager roles: Mike Rawlings as Plant Manager, Coal at Cumberland Fossil Plant; Bill Maiden as Plant Manager, Coal at Gallatin Fossil Plant; and Larry Sparks as Senior Manager, Regional Gas Ops.
Rawlings was recruited from FirstEnergy, where he served as Fleet Safety Manager, Fossil Operations. He has over 24 years of experience in the power generation industry and previously served in various progressive management roles such as Manager, Maintenance; Manager, Operations; Director, Eastlake; Director, Bruce Mansfield Plant; Fleet Technical Services Manager; and Fossil Operations, which led up to his most recent role.
Rawlings graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.Maiden was recruited from NRG Energy, where he served as Plant Manager, Plum Point Energy Station responsible for a 720MW, PRB PC Unit with IHI Boiler and Toshiba turbine/generator.
Maiden has over 30 years of experience in power station management, operations, support, service construction and corporate engineering. Leading up to his latest role, Maiden served in various leadership roles such as Plant Engineer; Corporate Engineer; Construction Manager of the Pleasants Power Station Gypsum Plant; Operations Manager, Willow Island Power Station; Engineering Manager, Pleasants/Willow Island Power Stations; Operations Manager, Pleasants Power Station; and Plant Manager, Edgecombe Genco LLC.
Maiden earned a Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering from University of Pittsburgh.Sparks was recruited from Duke Energy, where he served as General Manager of Dan River Plant and Rockingham Plant.
Sparks has over 26 years of experience in the power industry, with the last 13 years being spent with Progress/Duke Energy. Over his career, Sparks has served in various plant and engineering roles such as Power Area Manager, Technical Group Leader, Turbine Engineer, Maintenance Superintendent, Maintenance & Technical Superintendent and General Manager. Sparks earned a Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering Technology from University of Maine and an MBA from Norwich University.
Steve Smith, president of the firm, managed the search.
The McAulay Smith Firm is a performance-based retained executive search firm that partners with clients to recruit for mid- and senior-level executive and management positions. Established in 1995, The McAulay Smith Firm has completed hundreds of engagements for numerous client companies in 32 states and 9 countries.