Extending a warm welcome to spring and summer
By Vickie Ellis, TVARA Valleywide President
It makes me happy to have warmer weather, beautiful flowers, and outdoor activities return each spring and summer. I recently read that warmer weather brings out the best in our personalities.
TVARA chapters traditionally have picnics during this time, so I encourage you to check out the schedule in this newsletter and attend. It’s a great time to see your friends and colleagues.
We are very excited that TVA will again host the annual retirees luncheon at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Sept.12. Save the date on your calendar and make plans to attend. For those of you who were unable to attend last year, please make a special effort to do so this year. We would love to see you!
TVARA is undertaking a strategic-planning effort this year. We want to ensure that our organization is structured, staffed, and managed to meet the needs of our members. Specifically, we will look at the following:
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Mission and Membership Services
- Governance
- Operations
We have enlisted the services of a consultant, Bridge Innovate in Chattanooga, to assist with the process. If you have a desire to provide input, we would appreciate hearing from you. You can email me at tvarapresident@gmail.com. Results of the process will be shared with the membership later this year.
With TVA transitioning to new leadership under Don Moul, we would like to thank outgoing President/Chief Executive Officer Jeff Lyash and his management team for their support of TVARA. We look forward to working with CEO Moul and his team moving forward.
A report on the new CEO Moul is on page 2 of this issue of TVARA News.
Also in this issue, we welcome Justin Maierhofer back to D.C., as he returns to TVA’s Washington Office as Senior Vice President/Chief of Government & Community Relations.
There’s a story about how one man, the late Walt Elliott, carried TVA’s sense of caring with him into retirement, helping start a ramp-building program that continues to aid the disabled in his community.
And there are articles on places to see and things to do near and far. The near items are provided by our regular listing of special events and activities this summer in the Tennessee Valley. The far involve a cruise of the British Isles by our TVARA Immediate Valleywide President, Jo Anne Lavender.
Here’s to a happy spring and summer and our pleasing personalities!