Mintha Roach, president/CEO at Knoxville, TN, UB for the past 14 years, announced April 19 that she plans to retire by year’s end.

“I could not have asked for a better place to work,” said Roach, who made her announcement at a KUB Board of Directors meeting. “I am so grateful for the time I have spent at KUB, working alongside men and women who have demonstrated year in and year out their commitment to our customers.”

Roach joined the KUB staff in 1993 as manager of Human Resources. A decade later, she was serving as the utility’s chief administrative officer.

She became KUB’s acting president/CEO when Larry Fleming, then the utility’s chief executive, died in December 2003. KUB’s directors named Roach to succeed Fleming in February 2004.

On Roach’s watch, KUB established an infrastructure replacement program aimed at replacing and upgrading aging pipes and wires before customers were affected. KUB has also won numerous industry awards for reliability, environmental stewardship, wastewater operations, and safety, as well as high marks for customer satisfaction.

“We are all so fortunate to have had Mintha in this role,” said KUB Chair Celeste Herbert. “She has provided such leadership – not only to KUB, but to the larger community. She has set a great example for all of us as a servant leader.”

Roach has agreed to stay on as KUB seeks her successor. KUB’s board is opting to begin its search for that individual by looking at internal candidates; the utility has been “very intentional in developing a deep bench,” Herbert said.