Story and photography by Marcy Anderson Sanford

The East Tennessee Historical Society honored Pete Claussen as their East Tennessean of the Year at a Celebration Dinner. Claussen served as attorney for the Tennessee Valley Authority, Vice-President and legal counsel for the 1982 World’s Fair and established Gulf & Ohio Railways. Additionally, Claussen is founder and chairman of the Seven Islands Foundation, a member of the Smithsonian National Board and serves on the boards of the Legacy Parks Foundation, the Tennessee Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and Zoo Knoxville. Established in 2011, the East Tennessean of the Year award honors an East Tennessee history-maker who is an ambassador for the region and represents integrity, dignity, leadership and the volunteer spirit. The award is given by the East Tennessee Historical Society Board to an East Tennessean with either a recent accomplishment or a compilation of accomplishments in fields such as history, politics, entertainment, education or humanitarian work that improves the lives of others.