Meet Colby: Territory Sales Manager in the Western Carolinas

[July 22, 2026 | Forest, VA] - We’re excited to welcome Colby Shope to NexGen as a Territory Sales Manager serving Western North Carolina and Western South Carolina. With a background spanning industrial electrical work, utility distribution design, reliability, and power quality, Colby brings a unique perspective to helping customers find practical solutions for their electrical infrastructure needs.

Electrical & Utility Industry Experience

Born and raised in Western North Carolina, Colby developed an interest in electrical systems at an early age. His father has worked in Electrical and Controls Engineering throughout Colby’s life, giving him an early introduction to the industry and sparking a passion that would eventually become his career.

Colby began working as an industrial electrical contractor immediately after high school, gaining hands-on experience that helped shape his understanding of electrical systems in the field. While continuing to work, he pursued his education at the community college level before transferring to Western Carolina University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology.

His career eventually led him to Duke Energy, where he worked in distribution design and partnered directly with residential, commercial, and industrial customers. In that role, he designed single- and three-phase systems across a variety of applications.

Colby later moved into Reliability and Power Quality, where he developed a particular passion for helping industrial and commercial customers achieve reliable, high-quality power. His experience working with customers earlier in his career gave him an understanding of their needs from the customer side, while his time at Duke Energy allowed him to approach those challenges from the utility perspective.

Serving Utility Customers Across the Carolinas

As a Territory Sales Manager at NexGen, Colby will work with customers throughout North and South Carolina, bringing his technical background and utility experience together with NexGen’s portfolio of electrical and utility solutions.

“My years spent in a utility as a reliability and power quality professional, paired with my experience in the industrial and commercial business, will allow me to understand both sides of the business, what is needed, and what can be provided.”

Colby is especially excited to continue building relationships with customers, understanding their challenges, and connecting them with solutions that make sense for their applications. His experience across industrial, commercial, and utility environments gives him a well-rounded perspective on electrical infrastructure and the evolving needs of the power industry.

Passion for Grid Reliability & Innovation

Professionally, Colby is passionate about grid improvements, stabilization, reliability, and emerging technology. He enjoys learning about new technologies and finding ways they can improve performance and reliability for customers.

“I strive to learn about new technology that will improve performance for every customer.”

That curiosity and commitment to continuous learning will be an important part of Colby’s role as he works alongside utility customers and industry partners throughout the Western Carolinas.

Life Outside of NexGen

Colby and his wife live in North Carolina, with their three children. Family is a major part of his life, and the Shope family is heavily involved in their local church.

When he’s not working or spending time with his family, Colby enjoys the outdoors. You can find him hunting whitetail deer, chasing largemouth bass, spending time at the lake, or cheering on his family at the ballfields.

Fishing is one of his biggest passions. While attending Western Carolina University, Colby competed in collegiate fishing tournaments, combining his love for the outdoors with his competitive side.

A Passion for Fishing & Serving Others

Colby’s love of fishing has also taken him beyond the tournament scene. Following Hurricane Harvey, he and several fellow anglers made the 14-hour drive to Texas with their boats to assist the Cajun Navy in rescuing people trapped in their homes.

It’s an experience Colby says he will never forget. Years later, that experience took on an even more personal meaning when Hurricane Helene devastated communities throughout the mountains of North Carolina, including the region he has always called home.

His story reflects the combination of technical expertise, community, family, and service that Colby brings to his work and to the NexGen team.

Welcome to NexGen, Colby!

We’re excited to have Colby on the team and look forward to seeing the relationships he builds and the experience he brings to utility customers across the Western Carolinas.