Ursula Madden, former City of Memphis communications head, WMC 5 journalist, to join MLGW

Commercial Appeal staff
Updated ·2 min read
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Ursula Madden, then chief communications officer for the City of Memphis, speaks during the 2019 MLK Luminary Awards at the Hall of Mayors in City Hall. Madden is joining Memphis Light, Gas and Water as vice president of corporate communications.
Ursula Madden, then chief communications officer for the City of Memphis, speaks during the 2019 MLK Luminary Awards at the Hall of Mayors in City Hall. Madden is joining Memphis Light, Gas and Water as vice president of corporate communications.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to better reflect what the Blue Oval SK project entails.

Ursula Madden, the former chief communications officer for the City of Memphis and Memphis TV journalist, will be joining Memphis Light, Gas and Water as the vice president of corporate communications, the utility said Wednesday.

Madden had most recently served as an external affairs manager for the Blue Oval SK project, which is bringing a battery manufacturing plant to West Tennessee. She left city hall for the Blue Oval SK job in September of 2022.

MLGW CEO Doug McGowen said it was important for the utility to have a team "that can help accelerate progress and communicate with our customers" as it works on reliability and resiliency.

More: Former chief communications officer for city of Memphis to assume new role in Atlanta

"I'm excited that Ursula Madden will join the transformational work underway at MLGW, and confident that her years of experience in broadcast journalism, as Chief Communications Officer with the City of Memphis, and her recent experience with Blue Oval SK will be an asset to our leadership team and our customers," McGowen said.

McGowen and Madden worked together during the administration of former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland when he served as the city's chief operating officer and she led the communications office.

Before joining former Mayor Jim Strickland's administration, Madden spent 17 years at WMC Actions News 5.

"MLGW has a dynamic vision and a dedicated team working hard to provide customers with the reliable service they deserve. I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of MLGW's transformation and serve the people of Memphis and Shelby County in a meaningful way," she said.

MLGW Board of Commissioners Chairman Leon Dickson said he was pleased Madden "will bring her many talents to the organization" and said he looked forward to working with her.

Madden will begin her tenure with MLGW next month.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ursula Madden joining MLGW as vice president of corporate communications