New GM for Lenoir City Utilities

By Hugh Willett knoxnews.com

 

LENOIR CITY - Lenoir City attorney Shannon Littleton has been named general manager of the Lenoir City Utilities Board.

Littleton replaces Fred Nelson, who retired as GM in October after 44 years with the utility. LCUB provides electrical service to 66,000 customers including those in West Knoxville and Farragut.

The LCUB board of directors voted unanimously Monday to follow the recommendation of the search committee and elevate Littleton from interim general manager to the role of full-time GM.

The move comes after the committee conducted a nationwide search.

"We did a full search for the position," said Pat Beasley, who chaired the search committee. The committee collected resumes from applicants as far away as Wyoming and Pennsylvania, Beasley said.

Ultimately the choice was narrowed down to two candidates - Chris Brewer of Burbourville, Ky., and Littleton of Lenoir City. Littleton was selected after an in-depth interview, she said.

LCUB board member Douglas "Buddy" Hines said he was pleased with the way the search process was conducted.

"The entire search committee was in agreement on this," he said.

One of the key reasons in selecting Littleton was his experience handling issues at a large utility such as LCUB, he said. Other candidates had relevant experience, but at much smaller utilities.

Littleton, who is also city attorney for Lenoir City, has been with LCUB part-time since 1999, acting as an attorney. When Nelson was appointed GM in 2004, Littleton was given the role of assistant general manager.

At Monday's meeting Beasley nominated LCUB employee Susan Williams to replace Littleton as assistant general manager. The board voted unanimously to approve Williams for the role.

The duties associated with the GM job description would be added to William's current duties in the case that the GM was not available, she said.

Beasley said that the LCUB salary committee should take up discussion on whether or not Williams pay should be increased along with the increased responsibility of the assistant GM position.