2022 World Affairs Council of the Year
Network of Independent World Affairs Councils of America
Presents
Energy to Expand Our Global Impact
The global economic impact of the Tennessee Valley region has never been more evident, as national and international companies and emerging industries are flourishing here. As the region’s energy supplier, the Tennessee Valley Authority is partnering with local, regional, and state leaders to attract these industries. Through these efforts, we are helping to fuel billions in economic investment taking place in our communities. While affordable, reliable, and clean energy attracts new business and industry, TVA continues to work to ensure we meet the needs of our existing customers and prepare for future development — providing energy that is expandable, sustainable and innovative. TVA’s investments will power this region in building on its economic success, attracting and retaining the jobs of the future, and helping organizations meet their clean energy goals in the next decades. These investments also will assist in cementing the Tennessee Valley region as the home of global growth industries from new nuclear generation to advanced manufacturing to electric vehicle production. Join us to learn more about how the Tennessee Valley region and TVA are partnering to deliver the energy for global leadership.
Speaker:
JEFF LYASH
President and CEO of TVA – Tennessee Valley Authority
Jeff Lyash is president and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Appointed by the Board of Directors in February 2019, Lyash leads the nation’s largest
public utility in its mission of serving the people of the Tennessee Valley to make life better. He is also chairman of the Nuclear Energy Institute executive committee providing oversight to NEI on policy affairs on behalf of the U.S. nuclear industry.
Before coming to TVA, Lyash served since 2015 as president and CEO of Ontario Power Generation Inc., one of the largest electric generating companies in Canada with a diverse fleet of nuclear, hydroelectric, gas, biomass and renewable generating stations.
Lyash was formerly the president of CB&I Power where he was responsible for a full range of engineering, procurement and construction of multi-billion-dollar electric generation projects in both domestic and international markets. He also provided operating plant services for nuclear, coal, gas, oil and renewable generation. Prior to joining CB&I, Lyash served as executive vice president of Energy Supply for Duke Energy where he led engineering, maintenance and operations of the company’s 42,000- megawatt generation fleet, fuel procurement, power trading, major projects and construction, environmental programs, and health and safety programs.
Before the merger of Progress Energy and Duke Energy, Lyash was executive vice president of Energy Supply for Progress Energy. In this role, he oversaw Progress Energy’s diverse 22,000-megawatt fleet of generating resources including nuclear, coal, oil, natural gas and hydroelectric stations. In addition, Lyash was responsible for generating fleet fuel procurement and power trading operations. Lyash joined Progress Energy in 1993. Before leading the Energy Supply division at Progress, he served as executive vice president of corporate development, president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy Florida, senior vice president of Energy Delivery Florida, and vice president of Transmission. Lyash also held a wide range of management and executive roles in Progress Energy’s nuclear program, including operations manager, engineering manager, plant manager, and director of site operations.
Lyash began his career in the utility industry in 1981 and worked for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in senior technical and management positions throughout the Northeast and in Washington, D.C. He received the NRC Meritorious Service Award in 1987. Lyash earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University, and was honored with the Drexel University Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009. He has held a senior reactor operator license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and is a graduate of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Executive Training Program and the Duke Fuqua School of Business Advanced Management Program.
Lyash is an avid golfer and fly fisher. He and his wife, Tracy, enjoy cooking, skiing, reading and charitable work – and spending time with their two married children and nine grandchildren. The Lyashes live in Knoxville, Tennessee.
OUR MISSION:
As a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, we aim to promote international awareness, understanding, and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.
OUR VISION:
To create a well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.