Good morning. I am honored to be here today as one of President Bush’s nominees to the Board of the Tennessee Valley Authority. I am very grateful to Tennessee’s Senators, Majority Leader Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander and to my Congressman John Duncan, Jr. for their support.

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today. The woman you see here has been shaped and molded by the Tennessee Valley Authority. I grew up in Savannah, Tennessee, a small town in west Tennessee on the banks of the Tennessee River. My father worked his entire life for TVA, forty-five years at retirement, most of it as a Senior Operator at Pickwick Dam near Savannah. He was a shift worker who belonged to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He bought Series E savings bonds every month through TVA so that my sister and I could attend college. I can only imagine what he would think if he were here today to see his child nominated to serve on the TVA Board. I am a daughter of the Tennessee Valley and would consider it an incredible honor to serve on this Board.

Having this background and knowledge of TVA gives me a unique perspective on the history and mission of the agency. I appreciate what TVA has done for the people of the Valley but I also recognize that there are challenges facing this new Board. I can tell you that I will work hard to understand the challenges and make determinations based on sound research and careful thought. I have served on the University of Tennessee’s Board of Trustees for almost 11 years and have run a state government agency overseeing over 40,000 employees. My thirty-five year career has been in both the public and private arenas. Based on my work, my life’s experiences and my knowledge of TVA, I believe I can make a valuable contribution to the Board of the Tennessee Valley Authority if you choose to confirm me.

Thank you again for this opportunity and I look forward to answering any questions you may have for me.