The Petal Board of Aldermen has made their choice for the next member of the Petal School District Board of Trustees in Chris Rhodes, who is set to take over for the retiring Chuck Harrell.
Rhodes was voted in to the position on February 9, during a special-called aldermen meeting. He is expected to start his new position as soon as possible, as Harell’s term expires next month.
Six candidates put in their resumes for the position and were each interviewed by the board before Rhodes was chosen.
“I’m very honored and excited for the mayor and aldermen to select me to be on Petal School District’s board,” Rhodes said. “I’m looking to forward to being able to use my past experiences to really kind of give back to the community.”
Rhodes graduated from Poplarville High School before earning his mechanical engineering degree from Mississippi State University. He has worked for the electric utility industry for almost all of his career, and currently serves as the CEO of Southern Pine Electric, which is headquartered in Taylorsville.
“One of the biggest things is, I believe I’m used to working for a board,” Rhodes said. “I understand the roles and responsibilities of boards, along with the roles and responsibilities of the people that work for that board – in this case, superintendent (Matt Dillon), who is a great guy.
“Additionally, the school is going to be beginning some construction projects, just for the growing school district, to meet those needs. About 18 years of my career was spent in the construction world, basically building power plants, so I think that will help contribute.”
Rhodes also comes from a long line of educators, including his wife and his mother.
“So I certainly understand the importance of education, and I understand the importance of preparing our kids for the future,” he said. “(It’s important) to get them ready to be successful and to be contributors to society.”
Rhodes will serve a five-year term on the board upon taking over for Harrell.
“I’m excited about his resume and the things that he’ll bring to the table,” Mayor Tony Ducker said. “His background … will be a good asset to the school board, I believe.
“There were several people I think we could have plugged in here, but at the same time, Chris is different. The depth of his experience – as far as what the school district is facing from a construction standpoint – will be very valuable. But it’s such a difficult choice – we got six really solid resumes.”
Harrell said he plans to remain active in the district after he steps down, including with his work for the Petal Education Foundation and other behind-the-scenes roles.
“I felt like it was time for me to step down – I’ve (served on the board) for 16 years, and I thought it was just time to get some new voices and perspectives,” he said. “I’m proud of the progress and achievements we’ve made during my tenure on the board, and we’ve got a great group there.
“We all kind of work together as a team for what we’re there for, which is the kids. But my kids are grown, and I just felt like it was time for somebody new to come on board. We’ve got some great people in there, and I feel totally comfortable with them – and (chairman) Jerry (Defatta) is doing a great job.”
