State Pie-Job Pa: Rep. Matthew Hill's Dad lands $150k TRA job [View All]

The Johnson City Press article fails to mention that new stamped Tennessee Regulatory Authority Director Kenneth C. Hill is also a member of the Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee and voted to strip TNGA House Speaker Kent Williams of his GOPer "bona fides"...once a small-time radio evangelist-conservative talk show host ranting against "big government" (Nielsen could only estimate the minute market share of Hill's WPWT 870-AM d.b.a. Information Communications Corporation in Northeast Tennessee) , Hill has comfortably landed himself into a job that only requires the TRA Directors to meet in Nashville for two days out of every month:

Broadcaster Hill begins term as new TRA director
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/09/News/article.php?ID=69731
By Brad Hicks
Press Staff Writer
bhicks@johnsoncitypress.com

...

“I am grateful to Lt. Gov. Ramsey and the members of the Tennessee General Assembly for entrusting me with this responsibility and opportunity to serve the people of Tennessee,” Hill said in a release. “My staff and I look forward to working with the TRA staff to provide quality judgment and informed regulation to balance the interest of utility providers and customers.”

Jessica Johnson, TRA public information officer, said the agency is charged with regulating privately-owned utilities throughout the state.

According to a TRA news release, Hill has been active in communications and broadcasting for more than three decades in various aspects of television and radio. For the past 25 years, Hill has been affiliated with the Appalachian Educational Communication Corp. in Bristol, and at the time of his appointment to the TRA was chief executive officer and served as general manager of five radio stations reaching portions of East Tennessee and four surrounding states, the release states.

Johnson said while Hill’s communications interests have been maintained, he is not running the stations day-to-day. She said Hill’s TRA director’s salary will be $150,000 annually.

Hill has served as secretary of the General Conference of the Evangelical Methodist Church, chairman of the Publications Board of the Evangelical Methodist Church, member of the board of directors of the Tri-Cities Mass Choir, member of the board of the Sister Community Project between Sullivan County and Siguatepeque, Honduras, and member of the Bristol Evening Lions Club. Hill is also a former member of the Sullivan County Board of Zoning Appeals.

Hill, father of state Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, and his wife, Janet, reside in Blountville.



Tennessee State Representative Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough

The release said Hill has chosen Tabatha Blackwell, who previously served on Hargett’s staff, as his senior policy advisor, and Jimmie Hughes of Bristol as his executive assistant.