Anthony “Bubba” Forrester
Anthony “Bubba” Forrester keeps the power on at ̾Ƶ.
As MSU’s electrical supervisor, Bubba and his 13-person team are responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing electrical power across 1,400 acres for almost 10 million gross square feet of campus facilities.
“Anything between our substation on Blackjack Road and the outlet where you plug in your computer falls under our scope of work,” Forrester said.
He began his career at ̾Ƶin 1998, but his work as an electrician spans more than four decades.
“I wired my first house before I could even drive,” Forrester said. “My dad was an electrician, and I started working with him as soon as I was big enough to go to work.”
After high school, he earned his Associate of Applied Sciences degree in electrical technology at East Mississippi Community College.
He joined MSU’s Facilities Management, a division of Campus Services, as electrician I and rose through the ranks as electrician II and lineman before being promoted to supervisor in 2016. Even with 26 years in his profession, Forrester still enjoys the challenge of finding a solution to an electrical problem that’s often invisible.
“Troubleshooting is the most fascinating part of the field because you can’t see electricity,” Forrester said. “About five years ago, the Union was having some electrical issues. I started checking the voltage and connections at the transformer but couldn’t see anything. I got in my truck and headed back to the shop. When I was halfway there, it dawned on me that the neutral wasn’t bonded at the transformer.”
A sign with a picture of a squirrel outside of his office is a reminder of a different sort of challenge for his team.
“Squirrels love to run on the lines, stop in the wrong place, and cause power outages,” he said. “About 75 percent of our electrical calls are caused by squirrels.”
The electrical field is always changing as new technologies emerge, and a lot has changed since Forrester wired his first house.
“We now have smart switches. When you walk in a room, the lights turn on, and when you leave, the lights turn off,” he said.
Other changes to campus include the conversion of overhead power lines to underground, the installation of LED retrofits and lighting upgrades, and the removal of five points at Malfunction Junction.
“It took three years, but when that final traffic light came down, that was a big day for me,” Forrester said.
When he isn’t working at MSU, he’s working at home restoring a 100-year-old house room by room, or volunteering as a leader for Boys Scouts and 4-H. He’s also head coach of the Starkville High School archery team.
Forrester and his wife Angie have been married for 34 years. They are the proud parents of three sons: Jamie, Joey and Jonathan—all Eagle Scouts and archers.