Winona native David O’Bryan retired as Delta Electric’s General Manager and CEO of DE LightSpeed on April 26 after a career spanning 32 years. O’Bryan was hired on March 16, 1992, as Controller and was elected Secretary-Treasurer for the Association in 2002. On June 6, 2015, O’Bryan succeeded Ronnie Robertson as the fourth, full-time General Manager in Delta Electric’s 86 year history. During his tenure as General Manager, the Cooperative has continued to emphasize high-quality customer service, system reliability and outage management.
“Another of my highest priorities has been the safety of our employees and we have continued to stress the importance of our accredited safety program,” O’Bryan said.
A major accomplishment during his time as General Manager has been the provision of fiber broadband services through Delta Electric’s wholly owned fiber broadband subsidiary, Delta Fiber LLC doing business as DE LightSpeed.
“With the help of our local legislators, the Mississippi Broadband Enabling Act was passed that allowed us to enter the broadband business for the first time,” he said.
Delta Fiber LLC doing business as DE LightSpeed was established in 2019 and O’Bryan has served as CEO since that time. With the help of employees, outside consultants and contractors, Delta Electric began its initial fiber optic construction project in Carroll County in 2020 that was funded by a CARES Act grant in the amount of $4.9 million dollars. Delta Fiber LLC then won FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund grant funding during 2021 in the amount of $46.9 million dollars that is spread over 10 years, allowing it to expand its fiber broadband service to other parts of Carroll County along with parts of Holmes, Grenada, Leflore, and Montgomery Counties. Symmetrical broadband services are offered at speeds up to 1,000 megabits per second or Gigabit speed internet service.
“This has certainly been one of the most rewarding times of my career as we are now providing world-class, ultra high-speed fiber internet services to our members at affordable prices,” O’Bryan explained. “Delta Fiber LLC plans to expand its broadband services to Bolivar, Sunflower and Washington counties over the next 3-4 years.”
O’Bryan is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with an accounting degree. He is a Lyceum Life Member of the University of Mississippi Alumni Association. He holds professional designations as a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant. He also has memberships in the Mississippi Society of CPA’s and the American Institute of CPA’s. His community activities have included serving on the executive board of the Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Board, the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation board, the Carroll County Development Association board, and the Mississippi Economic Council Board of Governors. He is also President of the McCarley Water Association Board of Directors, a former President of the Greenwood Kiwanis Club and active in Delta Council. His industry activities have included service on the Cooperative Energy Board of Directors and as its budget committee chairman. Cooperative Energy is Delta Electric’s Generation and Transmission Cooperative headquartered in Hattiesburg. He also served on the board of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi along with various committee assignments. O’Bryan has also served on the Executive Committee and as Secretary Treasurer of MS Fiber LLC, a Middle-Mile internet transport company headquartered in Ridgeland.
He and his wife, Lou, reside in the McCarley community of Carroll County where they are active members of McCarley Baptist Church. They have two married children, Andy (Macon) of Oxford and Brad (Monica) of McCarley and they have three granddaughters, Ava Elizabeth, Ainslee Marie and Maren Hart.
“I want to thank the Delta Electric and Delta Fiber LLC Boards of Directors along with our amazing employees and our members for their support during my time at Delta Electric, “O’Bryan said. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. I have made many friends for life, and I look forward to more time with Lou and our family, along with opportunities for travel and projects on our farm.”
PITTMAN NAMED NEXT
GENERAL MANAGER
The Delta Electric Power Association Board of Directors has named Harold Pittman to succeed David O’Bryan as General Manager. Pittman, Delta EPA’s Assistant General Manager and Chief Engineer, will assume his new duties on April 26th. A Winona native and 1989 graduate of Winona Academy, Pittman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University in 1993. Pittman also earned his Professional Engineer license in 2000, and a master’s degree in business administration from Delta State University in 2002. Before joining the Delta EPA staff in 1995, Pittman worked as a manufacturing engineer for Takata Restraint Systems.
During his tenure at Delta EPA, Pittman has served as System Engineer, District Manager, Chief Engineer, and Assistant General Manager. Pittman plans to focus on continuing to provide the best service at the lowest cost possible.
Pittman says, “I plan on leveraging technology and retaining good employees to keep our quality of service at the level our members expect.”
“I know that Delta Electric and Delta Fiber will be in good hands with Harold as my successor. He has many years of experience and is well respected by his peers and our employees. It will be a seamless transition,” said David O’Bryan.
Pittman and his wife, Alison, live in Carroll County. They have two children, Mary Evelyn and Samuel. They are active members of North Greenwood Baptist Church.
