Lee Brown

Lee H. Brown is the President & CEO of Erwin Utilities Authority, an electric, water, wastewater,
broadband, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service provider for the Town of Erwin and Unicoi County, Tennessee. Brown has over 45 years’ experience in the electric utility industry, beginning in 1978 as a part-time warehouse assistant during high school. Prior to his appointment as President & CEO in 2006, he held several positions within Erwin Utilities including lineman, Director of Operations, and Assistant General Manager. In 2014, Brown was the driving force behind Erwin Utilities’ phased broadband deployment for Erwin Fiber, which provides Gigabit Internet services to the residents, businesses, and industries within Erwin Utilities’ electric footprint. Today, Erwin Fiber has a 65% take rate providing broadband services to more than 5,300 customers.

Brown has served in various positions within his community and beyond over the last 35 years. He is currently the Chairman of the Joint Economic Development Board of Unicoi County, President of the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association, and Past President of the Unicoi County United Way Board. Brown also served as a board member for the TNCPE, a former Director of the Unicoi County Community Hospital Board and former member of the TVA Regional Resource Stewardship Council. He is a member of the Erwin Kiwanis Club. Brown served 18 years as a member of the Unicoi County Commission and is a former member of the Tennessee Job Training and Safety Advisory Committee, which promotes and directs a statewide safety program for linemen.

He attended Tennessee Technological University and is an Advanced Certified Power Executive through the Tennessee Valley Public Power Associations’ Public Power Academy. Brown received the TNCPE Ned R. McWherter Leadership Award on February 26, 2025. The Ned R. McWherter Leadership Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies outstanding leadership in the pursuit of performance excellence and has worked to further performance improvement beyond the boundaries of his or her organization.