Kathy Hamilton is the new board chair for Knoxville Utilities Board, and Tyvi Small is vice chair. Previous chair Celeste Herbert was reappointed to a second seven-year term as commissioner. Seven commissioners are nominated by the board, appointed by the Knoxville mayor and confirmed by Knoxville City Council.
Hamilton, a certified public accountant, served as finance director for Knox County under County Executive Tom Schumpert. She has also worked as the chief operating officer for HealthCare 21 Business Coalition and financial officer for other businesses. She has served on the board of directors of several organizations including the Knoxville Chamber, Tennova Health System, Healthcare 21 Solutions Inc. and the Legacy Parks Foundation. Hamilton joined KUB’s Board in 2013.
Small serves as executive director of Talent Management, Diversity and Community Relations for the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee. He serves on the board of directors of the Knoxville Area Urban League, The Change Center, The Development Corporation of Knox County (TDC) and Leadership Knoxville. Small is an active member of Overcoming Believers Church and has been a KUB Board member since 2017.
Herbert is an attorney with Reeves, Herbert and Anderson. She previously served on the board of directors of Leadership Knoxville and chaired the nominating committee. Herbert currently serves on the board of directors of the YWCA. She is a member and past president of the Executive Women’s Association and former chair of the Better Business Bureau.
In a press statement, KUB acknowledged that during Herbert’s term as board chair, the board expanded the Round It Up program, which raises funds to assist the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee’s weatherization program, and accepted the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for its low-income weatherization assistance programs.
In addition to Hamilton, Small and Herbert, KUB board members are Dr. Jerry Askew, Sara Hedstrom Pinnell, Adrienne Simpson-Brown and John Worden.