R. David Scates is the head of security for Knoxville Utilities Board. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Lincoln Memorial University and has worked in security management for nearly a decade and the utility industry for nearly 30 years.

David has been a member of ASIS (formerly known as the American Society of Industrial Security) for several years, and he is the 2005 Chair of the Smoky Mountain Chapter. ASIS is the largest security related association in the world.

David is the founder and Current Chair of the Tennessee Valley Security Association (TVSA). The TVSA is comprised of security professionals from over 80 utilities within the Tennessee Valley Region. The association routinely meets to discuss items of interest, share information, and assist one another in improving security at the valley’s utilities.

He has been a member of the Tennessee Homeland Security District 2 Council for the past two years and was instrumental in obtaining a grant and developing and delivering security-related training and a table-top exercise to the district’s water utilities in 2005. The training and exercise were designed to better prepare and equip utilities in preparing for and responding to potential terrorist events. Back to faculty page