Joe H. Exum Sr. (’52, ’77) and his 96 years have been dedicated to the communities that made him. In addition to serving his country, he spent 42 years serving the people of his hometown of Jackson, Tennessee, and 54 years faithfully supporting his alma mater, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
After serving in the US Navy during World War II, Exum returned to Jackson to attend Union University on the GI Bill and work a part-time job with what was then the Jackson Electric Department. He transferred to UT to finish his electrical engineering degree and continued to work at JED through the engineering co-op program.
“The co-op experience gave me confidence,” says Exum. “Attending classes one quarter and then a real work experience the next, or vice versa, produces students who seem to mature quicker. With my degree I returned to JED as a project engineer and worked my way up through the ranks to become JED manager in 1958. I retired after 42 years as general manager in 1990.”
Exum’s experience at UT provided a solid foundation for his career growth. His leadership marked a transformative era. Under his guidance, the city witnessed the creation of the Jackson Utility Division, integrating local gas, water, wastewater, and electric services.
Joe Exum, age 96, at his home in Jackson, TN. February 2024.
With an eye toward sustaining growth for the future, Exum initiated a long line of UT-educated leaders who completed co-op stints at the utility through what is now the Tickle College of Engineering before becoming full-time employees and ultimately CEOs. His successor, the late John Williams (’68, ’77), oversaw further expansion of the company with systemwide fiber optics that provide internet, TV, and phone service, marking the beginning of the Jackson Energy Authority.
Joe Exum at age 93 in a photo taken to celebrate Jackson’s WWII veterans.
Joe as an apprentice seaman a week after arriving at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois, May 1945
“For more than 64 continuous years the combined utility has had a UT alumnus and former co-op student as its leader, and the company has fared well as a result,” says Exum. “The Jackson Energy Authority now has 375 employees (396 including part time) serving approximately 50,000 customers in the greater Jackson area representing a $250 million income. I am pleased to say I have been a part of it.”
The authority is now one of the few public utilities in the country to provide all major utility services in one place. UT’s emphasis on experiential learning and real-world training has left an indelible mark on Exum and his hometown through JEA’s steady pipeline of UT-educated leadership.
Exum family Volunteers: top row, Irene Exum (’80), Jay Exum (’78, ’81), Joe Exum (’52, ’77), Ben Joyce (’07); bottom row, Riley Exum (’12), Erin Exum (’10), Jordan Joyce (’11).
“At 96 I don’t get back to UT like I once did, but the memories are there,” says Exum. “And I’ve enjoyed seeing many of my family become Vols—children and grandchildren.”
A Volunteer 40 Under 40 winner this year, Erin Exum (’10), is one of those grandchildren.
For the impact UT has had on his life, his family, and his community, Exum gives to the university annually. With 54 years of giving to UT, Exum qualifies as a Tennessee True donor—a distinction that marks at least two or more consecutive years of giving.
“When the time comes to give, one thinks about the giving—but you think more about all the wonderful memories, even walking the Hill for classes,” says Exum. “I became attached to UT from the start and never lost that association.”
Steady support, even if it seems small, makes a big difference. Exum’s steady support and leadership have ensured that Jackson, Tennessee, homes and businesses will stay warm and bright for years to come. Because of Vols like Exum and those who succeeded him, communities like Jackson continue to thrive, and the torch is lit for another generation.
