The JEA board of directors gained a member and lost one on Jan. 28, with CSX executive Arthur L. Adams Jr. joining the board and member Bobby Stein announcing his resignation.
Stein, whose term was scheduled to expire Feb. 28, said after the meeting that he stepped down because of business and family obligations as well as his work with community nonprofits.
He said a lasting memory from his time on the board would be his role in helping JEA rebuild a community-focused corporate culture after the tumultuous years during and after the leadership of former CEO and managing director Aaron Zahn, an outside hire who was convicted of federal criminal charges stemming from allegations that he attempted to defraud JEA.
Stein played a role in a 2024 leadership change that led to Jay Stowe, another outside hire who succeeded Zahn as the utility’s CEO and managing director, being replaced by longtime JEA employee Vickie Cavey.
Stein said the board concentrated on “making sure the culture focused on being the servant of our community, the backbone of our community.”
He said he believed that with Cavey and her team in place, JEA was “one of the strong municipal utilities in the country” and had a “great future.”
“I just felt that we have a great board, great executive leadership, great 2,000 employees,” Stein said.
“One thing that has never changed is the 2,000 employees that are out in the field making sure the electricity’s turned on and the water’s turned on.”
Stein said his departure had nothing to do with a recent accusation that JEA committed Sunshine Law violations during conversations in which he was involved.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson ruled in December 2024 that the accusation, which related to discussions between Stein and JEA board members and employees preceding the 2024 leadership change, was “unwarranted and unfounded.”
“We were totally cleared of any wrongdoing,” Stein said. “We knew we were doing the right thing from the beginning.”
Stein served on the board since April 2020, when he was appointed by Mayor Lenny Curry for a partial term. Stein replaced board member April Green, who was among six board members who resigned after an abandoned JEA sale effort and the firing of Zahn.
Zahn was found guilty of federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges in 2024 in connection with allegations that he schemed to defraud the utility of tens of millions of dollars in undeserved bonuses for himself and other executives.
He was sentenced to four years imprisonment and initially ordered to report to prison by Oct. 28. That date was extended to Jan. 27 after the Zahn family’s home in Tampa incurred hurricane damage.
Zahn was listed as an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Edgefield County, South Carolina, on Jan. 28.
Stein is president of The Regency Group, a family holding company. He is a past president and vice president of the JEA board. In February 2021, he was reappointed by the Jacksonville City Council for a full term ending Feb. 28, 2025.
Adams fills the board seat vacated in November 2024 by A. Zachary Faison Jr., who resigned in the middle of his term.
Faison, the president of Edward Waters University, cited his obligations at the university and his undertaking of an “additional major academic pursuit” in leaving the board.
According to Adams’ biography on the CSX website, investors.csx.com, he is senior vice president of sales and marketing for the rail company.
In that role, he oversees CSX’s merchandise business portfolio, which includes agriculture and food products, chemicals, fertilizers, paper, metals and minerals.
He also leads the company’s business development team.
A CSX employee since 2007, Adams served in sales and marketing positions before being named to his current role in January 2022.
He holds a master’s degree in intermodal transportation management from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s in marketing from Jacksonville University.
Council President Randy White nominated Adams for the board, and Council approved his appointment on a 17-0 vote Jan. 14.
Legislation reappointing Stein to a term expiring in 2029 was introduced to Council on Jan. 14 and was scheduled to come up at its Jan. 28 meeting.
Council also is considering legislation that would allow for one JEA board member appointed by the mayor’s office and one appointed by the City Council to reside outside of Duval County.
Ordinance 2024-0930, which recently was deferred in Council committees, would allow those board members to come from anywhere within JEA’s service area.