[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E999]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THANKS TO WILLIAM ``BILL'' KENNOY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 18, 1999

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, today, the Tennessee Valley Authority is 
losing a great leader. After a successful eight-year term on the TVA 
Board, William ``Bill'' Kennoy is stepping down.
  Bill Kennoy was appointed to the TVA Board by President George Bush 
and was sworn in on May 31, 1991. Over the past eight years, William 
Kennoy has contributed a great deal to the citizens of the Tennessee 
Valley. His competent leadership helped to secure the refinancing of 
TVA's $3.2 billion debt. Additionally, he was instrumental in 
preserving the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area.
  All who know Bill Kennoy agree that he is a compassionate leader who 
has served the public well over his term as a TVA Director. He is the 
longest-serving member of TVA's current Board of Directors. Bill Kennoy 
even led TVA during transition period between the previous and current 
Boards.
  Before coming to TVA, Bill Kennoy led Kennoy Engineers, Inc., an 
environmental firm in Lexington, Kentucky. He brought over 25 years of 
experience to the Board as a professional engineer and business 
executive. In fact, he will now return to private life and again be 
involved in the engineering business.
  Mr. Speaker, Bill Kennoy has contributed a great deal to this Nation, 
but I would like to highlight one of his accomplishments that I am 
especially proud of. William Kennoy founded the ``Weekend Academy'' for 
inner-city youth in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville, 
Tennessee. The Weekend Academy is a mentoring program that encourages 
youth to pursue careers in business districts near their homes. I 
believe this says a tremendous amount about Bill Kennoy.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that I join with all Americans in thanking 
William Kennoy for his service to our Nation over the past eight years. 
I have included a copy of an editorial written in the Knoxville News-
Sentinel honoring William Kennoy that I would like to call to the 
attention of my fellow members and other readers of the Record.

            [From the Knoxville News-Sentinel, May 18, 1999]

                            Service Rendered

       The Tennessee Valley Authority will say good-bye to one of 
     its three board members today, and all in the valley should 
     pause for a salute to William Kennoy.
       A Republican nominated to the TVA board by President Bush, 
     Kennoy ends his eight-year term and will return to private 
     life and his chosen profession of engineering.
       His departure will leave the board with only one member 
     until two replacements are appointed. That was a situation in 
     which Kennoy found himself in 1993, the year current chairman 
     Craven Crowell and recently departed member Johnny Hayes were 
     appointed to the board.
       Kennoy's relationship with the federal utility he later 
     would help manage began long before his appointment to the 
     board. Kennoy's father was a TVA engineer working on the 
     Guntersville Dam in north Alabama. Kennoy said his 
     appointment was ``an opportunity to pay TVA back for what it 
     has done for me.''
       It speaks well for Kennoy that he regards as his signal 
     accomplishment at TVA the launching of ``Weekend Academy,'' a 
     mentoring program for children living near downtown in 
     Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis. The program 
     attempts to help inner-city children achieve success and 
     encourage them to pursue careers in business districts near 
     their homes.
       Kennoy also cites among his accomplishments the refinancing 
     of TVA's $3.2 billion debt, improving agency contracts and 
     preserving the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area.
       Kennoy's deliberate, calm style that led him to work out 
     disagreements behind the scenes instead of allowing meetings 
     to degenerate into unnecessary bickering might well be 
     another accomplishment. This trait drew praise from a former 
     board member, U.S. Rep. Bob Clement, a Nashville Democrat: 
     ``You don't see him raise his voice. Bill is very smart, 
     deliberate and compassionate.''
       Clearly TVA is better for Kennoy's leadership. As Kennoy 
     steps down today, we thank him for his service on TVA's board 
     and wish him the best for the future.

     

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