Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton has appointed Gary McNabb to serve on Tennessee Tech’s Board of Trustees.
McNabb will be one of two new members who will be a part of the newly expanded board, one person appointed by the speaker, the other, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally
“We thought it would be a good way to have a more diverse board,” Sexton said. “Nothing against the previous governors’ appointments, but maybe give a little different perspective and have the interest of the general assembly at play in those meetings sometimes, when maybe decisions are being made or things or being made that kind of goes against the philosophy of what the general assembly has done in the past.”
Several members on the Board of Trustees saw their terms expire in June. The trustees will continue to serve until McNally makes his appointment and a new board is voted into service.
Sexton said a board tends to function better when more people have a say in who is on the board. Sexton said he appointed McNabb for his involvement in the community and his pro-business background.
“Someone who will be an independent voice and is willing to listen to all sides, but will make the best decision that they think is possible, that’s in their view,” Sexton said. “And not someone who just goes along to go along, but someone who is willing to ask questions and determine which directions and which way is right.”
Sexton said he and McNally will appoint board members for every public university in the state. Sexton said McNally has not made his decision on who he wants to appoint for Tennessee Tech.
“Well, we will see, I don’t know if it’s available at this point,” Sexton said. “So we are waiting for someone to roll off. I’m having conversations at some universities, it’s now. The University of Memphis, I have two now, and some of them it’s one now and one in a year. So I’m not really sure right now when the next pick will be for Tennessee Tech.”
Sexton said he has sent a letter to Tennessee Tech and that McNabb should already be instated on the board.
