Memphian, three others get TVA nods

photo Tennessee Valley Authority headquarters and TVA logo

NASHVILLE - President Barack Obama has nominated a Memphis accountant to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority's nine-member governing board, which requires U.S. Senate approval, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., announced Friday.

D.V. Lynn Evans, a certified public accountant, will fill the position held by Bishop William Graves, of Memphis.

"I recommended V. Lynn Evans to President Obama because she is a superb accountant with extensive public and private sector experience," Cohen said in a statement. "She is intelligent, well respected and admired throughout Memphis and Tennessee for her dedication to public service and her skills as an accountant."

Obama said Evans "will greatly serve the American people" while at TVA, a federal utility that serves 8.5 million customers in almost all of Tennessee and parts of Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia.

Joe H. Ritch, Marilyn A. Brown and Michael McWherter also were nominated for posts on the board.

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said, "TVA, an $11 billion a year entity, is one of the largest utilities in the nation, and I believe it is critical that it have an appropriate number of directors with strong corporate board experience. I look forward to meeting these four nominees to learn more about their backgrounds and what qualifies them to serve in these important roles."

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said, "I look forward to visiting with these nominees at the appropriate time and learning more about their views on keeping electricity in the Tennessee Valley low-cost, reliable, and clean."

The board sets broad strategies, goals and objectives, long-range plans and policies of TVA and oversees the staff led by a chief executive officer.

Just six of TVA's nine seats are currently filled. Unless Congress moves quickly, the board could shrink to just four members, leaving TVA with no quorum by the end of the year.

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