The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors selected two Tennesseans to serve as its chair and chair-elect through 2029.
Board Director Mitch Graves of Memphis will serve as chair of the board through April 1, 2027.
The board also chose Knoxville attorney and businessman Jeff Hagood to serve as chair-elect, with his term as chair set to begin after Graves’ tenure and run through May 18, 2029.
Graves succeeds former board chair Bill Renick, who resigned on February 24 after serving in the role for less than a year.
The TVA Board has selected Director Mitch Graves to serve as Board Chair through April 1, 2027, and Director Jeff Hagood to serve as Board Chair following that term. Under their leadership, TVA is poised to unleash American energy and unlock opportunity across the Tennessee… pic.twitter.com/OYCQvdHK1c
— Tennessee Valley Authority (@TVAnews) March 5, 2026
In a statement announcing the leadership change, TVA President and CEO Don Moul said the new leadership team brings significant experience to the utility as it works to meet growing energy demands.
“Over the last few months, Directors Graves and Hagood have been tremendous advocates for TVA as we work together to unleash American energy,” Moul said. “With these experienced leaders, in addition to the rest of the Board of Directors and TVA’s dedicated employees, TVA is well positioned to power opportunity in the Valley.”
Graves (pictured above, right) said he was honored to be selected by fellow board members to lead the federal utility’s governing body.
“This is an exciting moment for our region as we work together to build generation, keep rates affordable and deliver the reliable energy that powers homes and businesses,” Graves said.
Hagood (pictured above, left), who will assume the chairmanship after Graves’ term, said TVA has played an important role in his family’s history and emphasized the board’s focus on reliability, affordability and economic development in the region.
Following Renick’s departure, directors nominated by President Donald Trump now hold a majority on the board. Graves and Hagood were among four nominees confirmed by the Senate in December 2025, along with Art Graham and Randy Jones.
The current board also includes Bobby Klein and Wade White, who were nominated by former President Joe Biden. Three seats on the board remain vacant, with one nominee, Nashville businessman Lee Beaman, awaiting Senate consideration.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Background Photo “Tennessee Valley Authority Building” by Tennessee Valley Authority.
