ROSWELL, New Mexico (March 8, 2019) – Two Xcel Energy employees have stepped up to new roles serving communities and business customers in Xcel Energy’s fast-growing southeastern New Mexico region.
James Lackey, who has served as a key account manager from his base in Hobbs since 2014, has been named to the position of manager of Community and Economic Development, primarily serving Lea and Eddy counties. Lackey is replacing Ben Jaime, who has relocated to Lubbock to serve Xcel Energy’s Texas-South Division in the same capacity. Taking Lackey’s former role in Business Customer Relations is Letty Kuykendall of Roswell, a longtime employee with extensive experience working with Xcel Energy’s large customers in the energy development business.
“Our workload in New Mexico has grown significantly over the past decade, and we’re expecting much more to come,” said David Hudson, president, Xcel Energy - New Mexico. “It was critically important to us and our customers that we lean on experience as we move forward, and we’re fortunate to have James and Letty fill these important roles supporting economic and community partners in our area.”
Lackey, a native of Aztec, N.M., started his service to Xcel Energy in 2008 in Hobbs as a plant engineer at Cunningham Generating Station. In 2011, he took the role as senior engineer in the Energy Supply engineering and construction group serving New Mexico and West Texas before being named key account manager in Business Customer Relations in 2014. In that role, he managed corporate accounts for Xcel Energy, including XTO Energy, Chevron and URENCO.
Lackey holds an associate’s degree in science and engineering from San Juan College in Farmington, N.M.; a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico, and a master’s degree in business administration from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. He is a registered professional engineer in both New Mexico and Texas, and a certified energy manager. Lackey’s extensive community involvement includes volunteer capacities with the New Mexico Junior College Thunderbird Booster Club, the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute, the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce Ambassador program and the Hobbs Citizen’s Police Academy.
Kuykendall began her service with Southwestern Public Service Company, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy, in 1993 as a meter reader and later meter reading team lead in Roswell. She took a job as a distribution designer in 1999 in Carlsbad and was promoted to senior distribution designer in 2013, serving in Roswell. In February 2016, Kuykendall moved to Business Customer Relations as an account manager in Roswell, where she managed corporate accounts for Xcel Energy, including large customers such as Sendero Midstream and Lucid Energy.
Kuykendall earned an associate’s degree in business administration from Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwood University. She has served on the boards of the United Way of Chaves County and also of Habitat for Humanity, where she worked as the head of the Family Selection Committee for two years. She will continue to be based in Roswell.
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