Bob Eby Elected Chair of Tennessee School Board

Bob Eby has been elected to a two-year term as the next chairperson of the Tennessee State Board of Education. Eby was elected to the Oak Ridge School Board four times prior to his appointment to the State Board by then-Governor Bill Haslam in 2018, serving as chair from 1991 to 1995 and as vice chair from 2009 to 2018. He was elected vice chair of the State Board of Education in 2019. Eby will succeed outgoing chair Lillian Hartgrove, who served five years in that capacity.

From the Tennessee State Board of Education Web Page:

Mr. Robert Eby was elected to the Oak Ridge Board of Education four times, accumulating 16 years on the Board. He served as Chairman from 1991-1995 and as its vice-chairman from 2009-2018. While serving on the Board, Mr. Eby spearheaded several major activities for the Oak Ridge Schools. Most notably, he was responsible for championing the recent school’s strategic plan—Oak Ridge 2020, which has become a model for school systems in the state. Oak Ridge 2020 exceeds the goals of Governor Haslam’s “Tennessee Drive to 55” initiative.

Bob Eby, left, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. Also pictured second from left are former chair Lillian Hartgrove, Vice Chair Darrell Cobbins, and Executive Director Sara Heyburn Morrison. (Photo courtesy Bob Eby/Tennessee State Board of EducationOak Ridge Today)

Mr. Eby is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering. He went on to receive a diploma from The Executive Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. His strong technical background led to major development efforts in gaseous diffusion, gas centrifuge and laser uranium enrichment technologies. Previously, he served as the Plant Manager at the 4,000-person Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Oak Ridge, and as Vice President in three major engineering firms associated with cleanup of radionuclides from the environment. He currently serves as the Executive Vice-President of Navarro Research and Engineering Company, which is headquartered in Oak Ridge with 21 offices across the country.

Mr. Eby is an Eagle Scout, the co-author of three patents in the field of radiochemical processing and is active in the community and volunteer efforts. Besides his ongoing service to the State Board of Education Mr. Eby is also currently a Board member on the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, the East Tennessee Technology Council, and the KFI, a local organization dedicated to supporting the Ronald McDonald House of Knoxville, Tennessee.

About Brad Jones

Brad is the Owner/Operator of BBB TV 12, and has been with the company since August of 1996. Brad is a 1987 graduate of Coalfield High School and a 1995 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Communications. He won the 1995 broadcast production student of the year award. Brad worked at Shop at Home, Inc. a home shopping network that was located in Knoxville, TN from 1993 - 1995 and then at Via TV (RSTV, Inc.) from 1995 - 1996. After some freelance work in Nashville, Brad joined the BBB Communications staff in August of 1996. A short stint at WVLT TV as a news photographer was in 2001, but he continued to work at BBB TV as well. Brad is married to Nicole Jenkins Jones, a 1990 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, who works at Oak Ridge Gastroenterology and Associates in Oak Ridge. They have 3 kids, Trevor Bogard, 27, Chandler 22, and Naomi 13. On December 12, 2013 they welcomed their first grandchild, Carter Ryan Bogard. Brad is also the assistant boys basketball coach at Coalfield High School for the past 11 years. In 2013-14 the Yellow Jackets won their first district title since 1991 and just the 4th in school history.

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One comment

  1. Mary Alice Hammond

    Yes. Algebra may be needed in your field, but not for FFA’s or artist students. This subject needs to be removed as a requirement to graduate high school. Take a look at the statics, and facts in the high schools today. Children are having both mental and physical challenges. Actually, they’re at the point where they don’t care if they fail. In the past this may have been a necessary requirement. But. With today’s modern technology and available resources, it’s not. For the sake of our children, please have the board members study this and what’s happening in our TN schools today. That’s why we the community support you.
    Thank you for your time. By the way. My 16 year old is one of these struggling students who has given up, like many. It would also be my pleasure to personally address the board on this subject.
    Mary Alice Hammond,

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