William States Lee III ’51

Bill Lee, retired chairman and CEO of the Duke Power Co., died of cardiac arrest in NYC July 10, 1996. He was known worldwide as a leading authority and advocate for nuclear powered utilities.

After the Three Mile Island accident, Bill helped to form the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and after Chernobyl, he was a prime mover behind the World Assn. of Nuclear Operators, becoming its first president. In 1989 Financial World magazine named him "CEO of the decade."

Bill was a native of Charlotte, N.C. His involvement in the city's and the state's business, philanthropic, religious, and civic activities was legendary.

Bill prepped at Woodberry Forest School. At Princeton he graduated magna cum laude and earned Phi Beta Kappa in civil engineering. He was a member of Dial Lodge, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Student Christian Assn., and the 150-lb. crew. He roomed with Jim Gill and Fred Seeley '50. Bill is survived by his wife, Jan, son William S. IV, daughters Lisa '76 *79 and Helen, brother John '54, mother Sarah Everett Toy, sister Sarah McArdle, and five grandchildren. The class extends deep condolences to them all. Quite simply, many people are going to miss this extraordinary man.

The Class of 1951