Tuscumbia, AL, Utilities General Manager David Thornton has announced that he plans to retire March 1.
Thornton, who closes the book on a 26-year career at the utility, will be succeeded by Jeff McDonald, who’s served as assistant manager since October 2016.
A Sheffield, AL, native, Thornton served a four-year hitch in the U.S. Air Force. His service complete, he came home to the Shoals and trained for two years at TVA’s Colbert Steam Plant.
Once Thornton finished his training, he stayed on at Colbert until 1980, when he transferred to TVA’s Florence, AL, office. In the meantime, he went back to school and earned an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of North Alabama.
In all, Thornton put in 18 years (1973-91) at TVA before leaving to take the general manager’s post at Tuscumbia Utilities.
As does Thornton, McDonald calls the Shoals area home – he’s from Killen, AL, near Florence. McDonald earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering degree from the University of Alabama at Huntsville in 2002, then joined Tuscumbia Utilities as its engineer.