Entering a new year amidst substantial growth, Seven States Power Corporation this week welcomed a new team member with the addition of Lance Irwin, who will serve as Vice President of Research and Portfolio Optimization. Irwin joins Seven States from the Electric Power Board (EPB) of Chattanooga, where he most recently served as Director of Energy Solutions Technology.

Less than a year after Seven States launched as an independent business, the trusted energy and technology solutions provider has nearly doubled its size to better support and serve its member-owners, the 153 local power companies in the Tennessee Valley.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Lance to our growing team,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “Lance’s experience in the industry will be invaluable as we continue to design and develop new solutions through hands-on research projects and enhance our technology offerings of electrification, renewables and connectivity.”

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a degree in electrical and computer engineering, Irwin began his career at EPB as Engineer and Meter Department Manager before ultimately becoming the Director of Global Utility and Renewables Market Strategy at Schneider Electric, a multinational company providing energy and automation digital solutions. After a six year stint with Schneider, Irwin returned to the electric utility industry and EPB in 2018. With the technical acumen to identify and understand potential market applications for new technology, he has extensive experience developing and implementing forward-looking strategies and has worked with customers to find solutions that solve complex problems, add value, and grow their business. Irwin currently resides in Knoxville and holds a master’s degree in Christian studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“Through my role at EPB, I was able to work firsthand with Seven States and am excited about the role the cooperative is playing as we move the Tennessee Valley forward,” said Lance Irwin, Vice President of Research and Portfolio Optimization. “I am eager to get to work.”

The addition of Irwin comes less than a month after Seven States welcomed two new team members, Marleen Hamilton, Director of Finance & Accounting, and Joe Knox, Director of Technology Deployments.