NASHVILLE, TN. – (November 15, 2021) – Distinguished Attorney, Eugene W. Ward, was inducted into the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association Hall of Fame and selected by his alma mater Lincoln Memorial University on Saturday, November 13 by TICUA President – Dr. Claude O. Pressnell and LMU President – Dr. Clayton Hess. Ward holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from LMU and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tennessee. He was selected for his accomplishments of being a distinguished attorney, leader of one of the nation’s largest utilities – Nashville Electric Service (NES) as well as his continued devotion to being a dedicated Community servant. The Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) and its member institutions selected 24 alumni, highlighting their contributions in a variety of disciplines. Information on all the inductees is available here.
“We launched the TICUA Hall of Fame last year to honor the accomplishments and impact of graduates and the institutions who helped to prepare them,” TICUA President Dr. Claude Pressnell stated. “We are proud to recognize Eugene W. Ward who has made significant contributions to his institutions, community, and society.”
“Gene embodies Lincoln Memorial University’s mission of service by his persistent pursuit of helping others. Whether Gene was in the courtroom, on Capitol Hill, raising his family, or working on behalf of LMU for recruiting and promotion, he has always been selfless in his concern and welfare for others,” stated LMU President – Dr. Clayton Hess.
Gene Ward expressed, “It is indeed an honor to be inducted into the TICUA Hall of Fame, and to be representing such a great institution as Lincoln Memorial University. Without LMU, I would never have been able to achieve these accomplishments”.
Follow Gene Ward on social media platform Facebook and watch his videos about his life in the Facebook Group Living In White Pine TN.
About Eugene Ward:
Eugene Ward embodies Lincoln Memorial University’s (LMU) mission of service by his persistent pursuit of helping others. Whether in the courtroom, on Capitol Hill, raising his family, or working on behalf of LMU for recruiting and promotion, Ward is selfless in his concern and welfare for others.
Born in White Pine in Jefferson County, Tennessee, on September 28, 1932, Ward was orphaned at age six and raised by his grandmother. He excelled in high school and took particular interest in debate and sports teams and earned a spot at LMU to study business. He paid his way through college by working at a dairy farm and waiting tables at the school’s dining hall. After graduating with honors, he earned an academic scholarship to University of Tennessee College of Law and graduated in 1959.
After working in private practice for several years, he was appointed assistant general counsel and later general counsel for the Tennessee Public Service Commission. He served from January 1966 through May 1980. Ward wrote the rules of the Public Service Commission and most statutes between 1961 and 1980 and helped draft the Underground Utility Prevention Act. Ward was appointed as administrative Law Judge and ruled on more than 400 commission cases.
In March 1986, Nashville Electric Service (NES), one of the largest 12 utilities in the nation, appointed him general counsel where he headed the legal department. He represented NES in governmental affairs before the General Assembly of Tennessee and the United States Congress until his retirement in 2010 after thirty years of service to the utility.
Outside of the courtroom, Ward dedicates his life to helping others through his church and community organizations, earning numerous awards for his philanthropic work. In 1976, the Tennessee General Assembly named the bridge at I-81 mile marker 4 the Eugene “Mose” Ward Overpass. In 2005, he became a member of Lincoln Memorial University’s Professional Hall of Fame.
Ward is married to Grammy Award winner and Grand Ole Opry member Jeannie Seely.
