Board of Commissioners

From left to right: Nikitia Thompson, Pace Robinson, Chair, J. Thomas Jones, Joel Connell, Vice Chair, Eston Williams, Margo Uri Simmons, Bruce A. Anderson

KUB Board meetings are open to the public. Except as noted, board meetings are held at noon at the Historic Miller's Building located at 445 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 and are followed by a Board lunch session that is also open to the public. Committee meetings of the Board are also open to the public and are held at the Historic Miller's Building.

Pace Robinson - Chair

865-966-4567
c/o Modern Supply Co.

525 Lovell Rd.

Knoxville, TN 37932
pace.robinson@kub.org

Robinson is CEO of Knoxville-based Modern Supply Company. He has served locally on the board of the East Tennessee Foundation, the Knoxville Jewish Alliance, and Webb School of Knoxville. He has served on various trade association boards, including serving as past president of the Southern Wholesalers Association, and is a past member of Leadership Knoxville. Robinson has been a member of the KUB Board of Commissioners since January 2005.

Joel Connell - Vice Chair

865-588-0220, ext. 11
P. O. Box 52405

Knoxville, TN 37950
jconnell@connellpropertiesinc.com

Connell is owner and President of Connell Properties, Inc. Before opening Connell Properties in 2007, he was affiliated with Baker Realty Company for almost 25 years. Prior to Baker Realty, he had a career in banking and finance and was Director of Economic Development for the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. He has served on various boards, including Industrial Development of Knox County, State of Tennessee Building Finance Committee, Goodwill Industries, Helen Ross McNabb Center, and Tennessee Industrial Development Council. Connell has been on KUB’s Board since 2008.

Bruce A. Anderson

865-567-2487
430 Hillvale Turn West

Knoxville, TN 37919
baanderson@etch.com

Anderson is Vice President for Legal Services and General Counsel for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, focusing on risk management, corporate compliance, insurance, and hospital contractual relationships. Anderson was formerly with Anderson, Reeves & Cooper, PLLC, specializing in mediation. As a trial lawyer, he has served as president of the Knoxville Bar Association and Master of the Bench of the American Inns of Court. A Leadership Knoxville alumnus, he currently serves as Chair of the Governance Committee and is a former Chair of the Salvation Army. Anderson has been on KUB’s Board since 2002.

J. Thomas Jones

865-540-8777
P.O. Box 377

Knoxville, TN 37901
jtj@jmwlaw.net

Jones is an attorney in private practice at Jones, Meadows & Wall, PLLC, concentrating in business litigation and transactions, financial institution litigation, contract negotiations and employment law. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Arts & Sciences and the University of Tennessee College of Law. He is a past graduate and board member of Leadership Knoxville, and he was a member of the City of Knoxville Civil Service Merit Board from 1990 to 1997, chairing the board from 1991 to 1997. Jones has been a KUB board member since January 1998, and chaired the KUB Board 2007–2009.

Margo Uri Simmons

865-545-3803

3530 Maloney Road

Knoxville, TN 37920
margo.simmons@kub.org

Simmons is a partner with Abercrombie Radiology Consultants, Inc., serving as Director of Ultrasound, and was a past Vice Chair of the Department Of Radiology. She also currently serves on the UT Chancellor's Associates. She is a past President and Vice President of the Knoxville Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. And she has served on the boards of the Wellness Community, the Johanne H. Bond Cancer Resource Center, and the Knoxville Museum of Art, and she has been a member at large of the Executive Women's Association. A graduate of Leadership Knoxville Class of 2004, Simmons has also been involved with Girls Scouts, the Webb School Mentoring Program and Parent Advisory Committee, and the Helen Ross McNabb Fundraising Committee. Simmons has been a KUB Board member since January 2006.

Nikitia Thompson

5005 Princess Ann Court

Knoxville, TN 37918

nikitia.thompson@kub.org

Thompson, a Realtor with Realty Executives, is the former co-founder and treasurer of Thompson Dream Team and coordinated the Urban Business Expo Workshop. She is very interested and involved in the development of Knoxville’s inner city, serving on various related committees. Thompson has been a KUB Board member since January 2004.

Eston Williams

865-406-5412
9737 Cogdill Rd. Suite 152B Knoxville, TN 37932
eston.williams@kub.org

Williams is the Resource Conservation & Development Coordinator of Natural Resources Conservation Service. Other conservation-related efforts include serving on the board of the Little River Watershed and the National Organization of Professional Black Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees. Economic boards and committees include Community Economic Development Networking of East Tennessee and East Tennessee Quality Growth Forum. He also works with Character Counts!, Boy Scouts of America Executive Board, African American Heritage Alliance, African American Coalition of East Tennessee, and 100 Black Men of Greater Knoxville. He was also previously President and State Director, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Williams has been a KUB Board member since 2008.