The Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors unanimously elected V. Lynn Evans of Memphis, Tennessee, board chairwoman.
Ms. Evans is the first African-American to serve as chair in TVA’s 83-year history. She is also the first female and first Memphian to chair the board.
“I am honored that my fellow board members have confidence in my abilities to serve as chair,” Ms. Evans said.
“TVA has made great strides in the past four years to improve its financial and operational performance. I look forward to our continuous efforts to set strategic priorities and drive for strong results, which benefit all of the people of the Tennessee Valley.”
Three board members, Chair Joe Ritch, and Directors Pete Mahurin and Michael McWherter, completed their terms Jan. 3. TVA bylaws call for the selection of a board chair within 30 calendar days of the chair’s vacancy to ensure the board can continue to work effectively as changes occur. A notational vote was held by the six members currently serving on the board to elect Ms. Evans as chair. Board positions are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Ms. Evans was sworn in to the TVA board in January 2013. A native of Anguilla, Ms., Evans has chaired the board’s Audit, Risk, and Regulation Committee since 2014. She has also served on the Nuclear Oversight, People and Performance and External Relations committees.
Ms. Evans owns V. Lynn Evans, CPA, a certified public accounting and consulting firm established in 1983. During her service on the Memphis Light, Gas & Water board of commissioners, Ms. Evans was chair from 2008 to 2009. She has also served on the board of directors of First Alliance Bank in Memphis, Tennessee, since its inception in 1998. Ms. Evans is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, Black Business Association, and the International Women’s Forum.
Ms. Evans currently serves on the board of the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation. She is a graduate of Leadership Memphis (1981) and has served on the board of a number of community organizations including the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis (former chair), ArtsMemphis, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, and the RISE Foundation. Ms. Evans received a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Jackson State University in Jackson, Ms.
The TVA Board’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2017 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.