Board of Directors

Kevin Connell, the owner of Connell Body Shop, graduated from Ripley High School and has his bachelor's degree from the University of Memphis. He moved back to Ripley about 19 years ago. Connell and his wife, Kim, have two young children. His term on the Ripley Power and Light Board ends January 1, 2015.

Phillip Jackson is a retired Lauderdale County Superintendent of Education. His term ends January 1, 2012. An educator for 40 years, he started at Ripley High School in 1969 teaching bookkeeping and accounting. He spent 32 years of his career in school administration. A graduate of Halls High School, he has a B.S. in Education from Lambuth University and a masters in Education (Administration and Supervision) from the University of Memphis. He and his wife, Jean, a retired school teacher, have two grown children and four grandchildren. Jackson, who was born and raised in Gates, is a preacher at Griffin’s Chapel United Methodist Church near Bradford.

Kenny Parham is the co-owner of Lauderdale Lumber and Hardware and C&C Equipment, both in Henning. A graduate of Ripley High School, he earned an engineering degree from State Technical Institute at Memphis. His community activities include being a member of the Lauderdale County Chamber of Commerce Board, the Exchange Club and the Tina Turner Child Abuse Center Board.

Tommy Sanders graduated from Ripley High School and joined the Army Signal Corps. He has a college degree from Southwest College in Los Angeles. After working for Western Union for 25 years, he retired as district manager of Western Union's Telecommunications Division over Arizona, Nevada and California. He then worked 10 years as a funeral director at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Sanders and his wife, Donna, have one child. They moved back to Ripley about five years ago. A Lauderdale County commissioner, Sanders' community activities include being a member of Ripley's Industrial Development Board and the county's litter committee, second vice president of the Lauderdale County Chapter of the NAACP, vice president of the Canfield Cemetery Association and a steward at Miles Chape CME Church. His term on the Power and Light Board ends January 1, 2014.