Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander on Tuesday introduced John L. Ryder at a Senate Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee hearing on his nomination to serve on the nine-member board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Senator Corker said:
“Chairman Capito and Senator Whitehouse, Senator Ernst, thank you for letting me be here.
It is a pleasure to be here with [Senator Lamar Alexander] and with our outstanding nominee.
“John Ryder has been nominated to serve, as you know, on the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and I would like to extend a warm welcome to him and his wife, Lain, and those here supporting his nomination.
“With over 9 million customers, TVA is the largest public power utility in the nation, and it is critical for the region that it remain a low-cost, reliable producer of electricity, not only for ratepayers but also for our state’s business recruitment efforts.
“To continue serving the region, TVA needs a full, well-qualified board, and I was proud to support the previous four nominees put forward by the president and thank this committee for swift action on those individuals.
“John Ryder has been nominated to fill the current vacancy on the board. With a wide-ranging legal background, John’s experience as an attorney will be of great value to the TVA board.
“After graduating from Vanderbilt Law School, John began his career working in Shelby County, and since that time, he has developed an extensive practice covering election and commercial law.
“His law practice has been consistently recognized, as Lamar said, as one of the most respected in the Volunteer State and throughout the country.
“And as a lifelong Memphian, John understands the important role that TVA plays in our communities and the demands of a growing Tennessee Valley.
“In addition to his distinguished career, John has demonstrated a true commitment to the Memphis community.
“He has served on numerous boards, including the Opera of Memphis, the YMCA of Greater Memphis, as well as volunteering his time to many other organizations.
“Lamar and I both have known John for many, many years, and I wholeheartedly support his nomination. I am confident his diverse background will give him the necessary qualifications to serve TVA’s important missions.
“So, thank you. Thank you for letting us be here, and I hope that you will support his nomination and confirmation. Thank you so much.”
Senator Alexander said, “John Ryder is a good man, and TVA is on a good path. TVA’s leadership over the last few years has made sound decisions that will benefit ratepayers and our region. John Ryder is a great choice to help keep TVA on that good path.
“TVA is fulfilling its mission to provide ‘safe, clean, reliable and affordable power for the region’s homes and businesses’ by placing pollution control equipment on all its coal plants, building new natural gas plants, and opening the first nuclear power reactor in the 21st century. TVA has done this while reducing its debt and reducing electric rates, which is good news for jobs and economic development in the Tennessee Valley.
“As a West Tennessean, John understands how important it is for TVA to continue to provide cheap, clean, reliable electricity for homes and businesses throughout the seven-state Tennessee Valley region.
“For five years, John served as general counsel for the Republican National Committee, and he has served as the litigation counsel for the Shelby County Election Commission.
“John has a broad background in public affairs, and he has significant litigation experience and has earned numerous awards as an attorney.
“He has been recognized by Business Tennessee Magazine as being among the 101 Best Lawyers in Tennessee and has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1987.
“I am convinced John will make an excellent TVA Board member, and I strongly support his nomination. I encourage the members of the committee to support his nomination as well so his nomination can quickly be considered by the full Senate.”
Senator Alexander said Mr. Ryder was a “respected leader in Shelby County and in Tennessee” when he was nominated by President Trump on Feb. 3.