KNOXVILLE –- Former U.S. Rep. Bob Clement has a distinguished record of service to Tennessee and the nation. He served on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s board of directors, on Tennessee’s Public Service Commission, as president of Cumberland University, and from 1988-2003, in the U.S. Congress.
On April 18, Clement will be the featured speaker at a breakfast where he will reflect on his career of public service and celebrate the donation his political papers to the Modern Political Archives, a joint effort of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy and the University of Tennessee Libraries.
The presentation breakfast, open to the public, will be held at 7:30 a.m. at the University Club, 2705 Kingston Pike.
“Throughout Congressman Clement’s illustrious career, he has continually exemplified the public service ethic that we celebrate at the Baker Center,” Baker Center Director Alan Lowe said.
Plans are also being developed to conduct oral history interview with Clement that will form an invaluable addition to his archival collection.
The Baker Center’s Modern Political Archives, operated in close partnership with UT Libraries, include the papers of U.S. Sens. Howard H. Baker Jr., Estes Kefauver, Fred Dalton Thompson and William Emerson Brock III; Govs. Donald Sundquist and Winfield Dunn; U.S. Congressmen John J. Duncan Sr. and Howard H. Baker Sr.; U.S.Congresswoman Irene Baker; and state Sen. Ben Atchley.
Clement, the son of former Tennessee Gov. Frank Clement, was born and raised in Nashville. Bob Clement graduated from UT in 1967 and spent 30-plus years in the U.S. Army, first as an active duty officer, then as a member of the Tennessee National Guard. He retired from the Guard as a colonel in 2001.
From 1972 to 1978, Clement represented East Tennessee on the state Public Service Commission, and in 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to fill a two-year term on the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors.
From 1983 to 1987, Clement was president of Cumberland University.
In 1988, Clement was elected to represent Tennessee’s 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his eight terms in Congress, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Railroad subcommittee and the Highways and Transit subcommittee. He also was a member of the International Affairs and Budget committees and formed the Congressional Education Caucus, which he co-chaired.
Since leaving the U.S. House of Representatives, former Clement has run a consulting firm. Clement recently announced the formation of an exploratory committee to raise funds for a potential race for mayor of Nashville.
The breakfast is open to the public, but reservations are required. Cost is $10. To make a reservation call (865) 974-0931 or e-mail prebholz@tennessee.edu
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Contacts:
Amy Blakely, (865) 974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu
Alan Lowe, (865) 974-8515, alowe4@tennessee.edu
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