Tom Wray

Tom C. Wray



Thomas Charles Wray was born in rural Zwolle Township Louisiana February 4, 1949, and passed to heaven in Scottsdale, AZ as a Christian on January 25, 2024. Tom grew up in Louisiana, with a kind personality and dry wit, and became a master of Cajun culinary arts, an aficionado of all music especially folk guitar, which he played with style, and also playing the sport he most cherished, baseball; also backpacking and skiing the Rockies with his buddies. He graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree from LSU and forever supported the Tigers. Tom's polymath brilliance showed as he completed a Masters in Electrical Engineering in Power from the University of Colorado and an MBA in Finance from the University of New Mexico, both with honors, while working all time. One of Tom's major life-focuses was on his 50 years of experience in the domestic electric power industry. He and teams he either led or worked with, were a key part of the industry directly responsible for the 24x7 reliable electricity everyone appreciates in the desert Southwest today, and also for future widespread renewable energy to power the next decades. He was a national expert focusing on EHV transmission and large power generation project development and financing, especially the siting, development and regulatory approvals. He began his career as a distribution engineer and eventual group manager for 17 years with Public Service Company of New Mexico, was a founding partner of Groves, Wray & Associates and SouthWestern Power Group, regional project development firms responsible for multiple generation projects including the recently announced SunZia billion-dollar high voltage renewable energy transmission line. The largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere.

He was elected in 1993 to the New Mexico State Senate District 21 and was the energy expert of that body. He was the author of the country's first legislative initiative authorizing customer choice, open access and retail competition in the electric utility industry. His ability to work in the local, state and federal political arena became an elite talent and led to success of his projects when coupled with his technical knowledge and skills. Tom will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife Stephanie Wray, his son Tyler Manning - Wray daughter Alexis, & brother Jody Wray. He was preceded in passing by his father and mother, Joe Owen Wray and Joyce Tyler Wray. We will miss you always and may you rest in peace and rest deep in our hearts forever.