Board of Directors
Topham is devoted to the community where he serves on the Board of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity. He served on the Board of Maryville College, is former President of the Alumni Association, and the Board of Goodwill Industries. He and his wife Traci have one daughter; they are members of First United Methodist Church of Maryville.
She received her Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Duke University, a Master’s certificate in Publishing from the University of Denver, and degrees in English, Environmental Studies, and Sociology at University of Colorado Bolder. She has served on boards including Family & Childrn’s Services (Nashville), the State International Development Organizations, the Department of Commerce’s TN District Export Council and Discover Life in America, among others. She and her husband manage a small farm in Maryville, where she grows greenhouse and row crops and is active in the Blount County Master Gardener program. She enjoys spending time with her grown children and enjoying the outdoors.
Tom is currently the River Management General Manager at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and is responsible for the integrated management of the 41,000 square mile Tennessee River system to provide billions of dollars in benefits in the areas of flood damage reduction, navigation, power production, water quality, water supply, and recreation to deliver on TVA’s Mission and commitment to Service in making life better for the People of the Valley. He has been part of River Management since 2008 and has extensive experience in stakeholder communications across federal, state, and local agencies as well as coordination with public stakeholders.
Tom is committed to ensuring the communities where we live, work, and play are protected through responsible environmental policies and practices. He has served on numerous technical
panels, spoken at many conferences and forums, and worked with teams for sustainability and carbon reduction. He is the TVA Knox Area Safety Team sponsor, an American Water Resources Association member, and a board member for the River Ranch Property Owners Association. He volunteers with and supports various organizations such as Second Harvest, Children’s Hospital, St. Jude, and organizations supporting students and families with needed school supplies.
Tom and his wife, Whitney, an educator in a local school system, are lifelong outdoor enthusiasts and love to have fun on and around the surrounding lakes, rivers, and mountains spending many weekends camping, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing with their two daughters and water-loving dog. His government service includes being Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Research and Analysis, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and resident scholar at the Congressional Budget Office. He was appointed by President Carter to serve on the first National Credit Union Administration Board, the nation’s federal regulator of credit unions. He has served as a Director and Chairman of the Nashville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and as a public interest member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Savings Association Insurance Fund Advisory Committee.
Karen is a Knoxville, Tennessee, native with a BS Degree from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. She co-founded Land Design South, a Landscape Architecture firm in Florida, which she managed for 32 years. Karen is on the advisory board for The Great Smoky Mountains Association, a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for women, a former member of the Board of Governors for Arrowmont, and a Library Vice-Chairperson for Anna Porter Library. With her 35+ years of experience in management, she is an invaluable resource to the staff at Anakeesta.
Karen designed numerous award-winning municipal parks and was the recipient of the Florida Design Art Award for several created wetland parks. She also received the highest award for Landscape Architecture in Florida for Environmental Sustainability for a regional park in Palm Beach County. Karen is an avid swimmer, mountain biker and loves to hike in the Smokies. She and Bob also love camping with their children and grandchildren throughout the national parks in the US.
Brandon is currently co-founder of two software companies in Knoxville and was previously co-founder of Cirrus Insight, a sales software company that reached #41 on the Inc. 500 list. He is also the former Director of Gifts and Grants at Maryville College. Brandon serves on several nonprofit boards in the areas of entrepreneurship, education, and the great outdoors.
In his prior role at Brasfield and Gorrie, he has managed over $75 million in projects. These projects consisted of renovations and new build of restaurants, warehouses, and process facilities.
Shortly after, Mr. Cobble and his wife Donna purchased and began managing the family-owned farm that they reside on today. Marblegate Farm is set on a stunning 250 acres and is a short drive from Knoxville, TN.
Mr. Cobble was the founding President of Tremont’s board of directors and to this day serves on the board. His other organizational affiliations include East Tennessee Historical Society, Foothills Land Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America, Cherokee Country Club and Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church.
Elizabeth joined the US Forest Service as its National Director of Recreation, Cultural Resources and Wilderness Management. In 1992 she became the first female Regional Forester (field general) in the agency’s history. She led the Rocky Mountain Region (2.2 million acres of national forests and grasslands) as well as the 13-state southeastern region prior to becoming the Deputy Chief in Washington D.C.
Elizabeth received the Distinguished Rank Award from President George W. Bush “in recognition of visionary, global leadership in involving corporations, volunteers, and communities in collaborative natural resource management.” She also garnered the government’s highest award for innovation from Vice President Albert Gore for cost savings in the Rocky Mountain Region (over $4 million) and for the Southern Forest Resource Assessment to evaluate the sustainability of natural resources and provide a common framework for decision-makers at all levels of government. She has represented the United States at numerous international conferences and negotiations on forestry, land use, wilderness, and sustainability issues.
Currently, she mentors, lectures, and consults on natural resource policy. She enjoys her grandchildren, a good book, painting, and traveling. Elizabeth is married to John Dreves. She has one son, four stepchildren, and nine grandchildren.
Haslam serves on the boards of the George W. Bush Library Foundation, the National Football Foundation, the Trust Company of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee Health System. He is chairman of the board of the Baker Center at the University of Tennessee.
Haslam has been a director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, First American Bank, AmSouth Bank, and Appalachian Life Insurance Company. He was a trustee for the University of Tennessee for 27 years and was both vice chairman and chairman of the Executive Committee. He has been the chairman of the board of the Greater Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Knoxville, Webb School of Knoxville, the Public Building Authority and United Way of Greater Knoxville. He also served as the campaign chairman for United Way and was the founder and remains the chairman of the local Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
A strong believer in giving back to the community, Haslam founded the Haslam Family Foundation, which has contributed millions of dollars to charitable organizations over the years.
Haslam is married to Natalie Leach Haslam. They have six adult children, 18 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Mr. Carroll joined Sevierville, Tennessee, based Citizens National Bank in 1992 where he held various management positions including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He also served on the Bank’s Board of Directors, as well as Loan Committee and Asset Liability Committee and was responsible for all operational areas of the Bank, including brokerage and insurance subsidiaries.
Mr. Carroll began organizing SmartBank in 2006 with the help of several community leaders. Their goal was to create a new, exciting banking environment focused on building a dynamic culture and recruiting outstanding associates. The organization is becoming one of the regions strongest and fastest growing new banking concepts with assets over $300 million.
During Mr. Carroll’s professional career, he has served as president of the Sevier County High School Foundation, member of the Sevierville Planning Commission, president of the Sevier County’s University of the Tennessee Alumni chapter, Board member of the Boys & Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains, Board member of Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, member of the Sevier County Economic Development Council, president of the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the United Way of Sevier County. He is active in numerous other local organizations including Leadership Sevier and Leadership Knoxville, and has been inducted into Junior Achievement’s East Tennessee Business Hall of Fame.
Mr. Carroll currently serves on the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank, Nashville Branch.
His UT involvements include being a past member of the Athletics Board, the Development Council, the National Alumni Board of Governors, the Public Affairs Committee and the College of Communications Board of Visitors.
In 1980 he was one of three founding partners who started the Nashville public relations agency Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence. The agency is among the 10 largest public relations agencies in the Southeast.
He is past Chairman of the Nashville Sports Council and has previously served on the executive committee of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Board, the Board of the Music City Bowl, the Advisory Board of Nashville YWCA, the board of Leadership Nashville Alumni and the executive committee of the board of Nashville Alliance for Public Education. He served as an elder at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville. He is a Nashville Advertising Federation Silver Medalist.
A native of Portland, Tennessee and a 1963 graduate of UT, Hank is married to the former Margaret Strom and has two sons—Clay and Andrew—and six grandchildren.
Iowa; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Point Henry, Australia before returning to serve as Operations Manager at Tennessee Operations, a post he held for 15 years. Under his leadership the Tennessee plant was modernized to become the most state of the art aluminum rolling facility in the world.
Ray was appointed by Governor Lamar Alexander to the State of TN Board of Education where he served for 26 years, including many years as chairman. He is the past chairman of the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont and has held membership and chairmanship of many other civic groups.
Ray passed away on April 25, 2023.
Bill has led various businesses for domestic and foreign global technology service and engineering companies such as ABB/ Flakt AB, Zellweger Uster, and Invensys PLC. Bill’s background includes turnarounds, significant growth initiatives, acquisitions and divestitures.
Bill is a graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina and has served on various philanthropic, industry and community boards. He currently sits on the board of directors for USI, Bartlett Holdings as well as The Identity Group.
He has resided in Knoxville, Tennessee since 1991 and is married to Susan Burgess Varner. Together they have 3 daughters and seven grandchildren.