Resolution Honors Paul Thompson for Decades of Service at Tri-County Electric

Tennessee House Joint Resolution 628 (HJR0628) of the 114th General Assembly is A RESOLUTION to recognize Paul Thompson on the occasion of his retirement.

The resolution honors Paul Thompson for his nearly three decades of service with Tri-County Electric, where he was the longest-serving CEO in the company’s history and the longest-serving active CEO in Tennessee at the time of his retirement. He is recognized for his contributions, including working with state and local officials to enable electric cooperatives to provide broadband, internet, and phone services to members who previously lacked access.

The resolution passed in the House on April 10, 2025, with a vote of 95-0, and in the Senate on April 17, 2025, with a vote of 33-0. It was signed/enacted/adopted on April 29, 2025.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 628

By Keisling

HJR0628

A RESOLUTION to recognize Paul Thompson on the occasion of

his retirement.

WHEREAS, it is appropriate that we should honor those citizens who have performed

with uncommon devotion and enthusiasm throughout their years of industry; and

WHEREAS, one such estimable person is Paul Thompson, who recently took his much-

deserved retirement after nearly three decades with Tri-County Electric, having been the

longest-serving CEO in Tri-County Electric history and the longest-serving active CEO in

Tennessee at the time of his retirement; and

WHEREAS, a graduate of Macon County High School, Mr. Thompson received his

Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Tennessee Technological University; and

WHEREAS, his illustrious career with Tri-County Electric began in March 1998, when he

was named Director of Marketing, in which capacity he served until February 2001, when he

was named interim CEO; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thompson was named CEO of Tri-County Electric in May 2001, and,

under his leadership, Tri-County Electric became the first electric cooperative in Kentucky or

Tennessee to install automated metering, allowing the cooperative to implement an outage

management system that significantly decreased outage times and allowed it to be among the

first cooperatives in the country to provide pre-paid metering; and

WHEREAS, his tenure also saw the installation of a NOAA Weather Radio Warning

System for Macon County, which led to Tri-County Electric being awarded the Mark Trail Award

in 2004, an honor bestowed on those who have made significant contributions to the

advancement of weather technology; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thompson worked with state and local officials to allow electric

cooperatives to provide broadband, internet, and phone services to electric cooperative

members who had never had access; and

WHEREAS, bringing his distinguished career at Tri-County Electric to a close, Paul

Thompson stepped down as CEO of Tri-County Electric in September 2024 but continued to

share his knowledge and expertise as an executive consultant to the cooperative until this past

March; and

WHEREAS, an active part of his community, Paul Thompson is a past president of the

Macon County Chamber of Commerce and helped secure grant funding to build the Leon and

Marie Cothron Macon County Welcome Center; and

WHEREAS, no stranger to awards and accolades, he has been lauded as the Macon

County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; and

WHEREAS, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Mr. Thompson enjoys the love

and support of his wife, Dawn, his sons, Marcus (Kailyn) and Ryan (Savannah), and his

grandsons, Riggs and Tate; and

WHEREAS, Paul Thompson exemplifies the spirit and allegiance to family and

community that are characteristic of a true Tennessean; and

WHEREAS, throughout his estimable career, Paul Thompson has demonstrated the

utmost professionalism, ability, and integrity, winning the unbridled respect and admiration of his

colleagues and the customers of Tri-County Electric; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED

FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE

CONCURRING, that we extend to Paul Thompson our heartfelt wishes for a happy and fulfilling

retirement and every continued success in his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared

for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to

the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear

without House or Senate designation.