W. Dwight Kessel

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Kessel

W. Dwight Kessel

Knox County Executive (retired)

Education

  • B.S. 1950, Industrial Engineering, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

W. Dwight Kessel received the Nathan W. Dougherty Award in 2014 in recognition of his achievements and contributions to Tennessee. He has supported key Tickle College of Engineering decisions and stood as an advocate for the college.

After a three and a half year stint in the Navy during WWII, he came to UT, graduating in 1950 with a BS in industrial engineering. After working as an Engineer (1950-1963), he entered political office as a Knoxville City Councilman (1963-1966), as Knox County Clerk (1966-1980), and served as the first Knox County Executive (now County Mayor) from 1980-1994.

His various business interests have included real estate investments; the conversion of the Farragut Hotel into office space; Chapman Drug Company, which he built into a multi-state chain; and the startup of one of the nation’s first local Internet companies: U.S. Internet.

His community involvement includes time with the Boy Scouts of America, the Greater Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, the Girls Club, Knox County Health Council, Development Corporation of Knox County, Juvenile Court Advisory Board, East Tennessee Foundation, and many more. He also has been a member of the West Knoxville Kiwanis Club for sixty years and was a board member of the Fairview Technology Center and the Tennessee Center for Research and Development. He was a member of the 1982 Knoxville Expo World’s Fair board of directors, an advisory board member of the Knoxville College President’s Roundtable, and a member of the East Tennessee Minority Purchasing Council, Inc. board.

Due to his commitment to the Knoxville community, several buildings have been named after Kessel, including the Wallace Dwight Kessel Girls Club Gymnasium, Dwight Kessel Pavilion, Dwight Kessel Metropolitan Parking Garage, and the Dwight and Gloria Kessel Auditorium in the Science and Engineering Research Facility at UT.

He has been extensively involved with the UT National Alumni Association, serving as treasurer, secretary, vice president, and president as well as participating as a member of the scholarship committee. He also served on the UT Tickle College of Engineering Board of Advisors, and was a previous chairman of the UT Chancellor’s Associates and the UT Development Council.

In 2013, he received the UT’s prestigious Alumni Service Award.