Lee Montgomery
Piedmont Lithium, a leading global developer of lithium resources critical to the U.S. electric vehicle supply chain, announced the addition of its first Tennessee-based employees to support the Tennessee Lithium project.
Piedmont announced plans last September to build the 30,000 metric ton per year lithium hydroxide operation in the city of Etowah in McMinn County to support domestic production of battery-grade lithium.
Lee Montgomery joins Piedmont Lithium as a community relations manager and Ashley Copeland as a corporate communications specialist. Both Mr. Montgomery and Ms. Copeland are residents of McMinn County, underscoring Piedmont’s commitment to hiring locally whenever possible.
Keith Phillips, president and CEO of Piedmont, said these additions mark an important step in the company’s efforts to establish a presence in the region.
He said, “We’re excited to welcome our first Tennessee-based employees to the Piedmont team. Lee and Ashley, as valued and active members of Etowah and McMinn County, are well suited to play a critical role in engaging with and informing the community as we advance our Tennessee Lithium project.”
Mr. Montgomery joins Piedmont with a background that includes more than 15 years in community relations and more than a decade of experience in managing multiple manufacturing operations. He most recently worked as the district vice president for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga, where he significantly increased the branch’s membership and led a number of notable community outreach campaigns. His career includes key leadership roles at DENSO Manufacturing, Crescent Hosiery, and several regional nonprofit organizations.
Mr. Montgomery earned a graduate degree in organizational management from Tusculum University and an undergraduate degree in accounting from Tennessee Wesleyan University.
Ms. Copeland is an integrated communications professional and content specialist who has worked across a variety of industries including media, government, and higher education. Most recently, she served as the management excellence director for Tennessee Wesleyan University, where she led strategic planning to recruit, market, and enroll undergraduate and graduate students.
Her background also includes working as a reporter for The Daily Post-Athenian, where she received multiple distinguished awards.
Ms. Copeland has a strong academic background with a graduate degree in public relations from Webster University and an undergraduate degree in English from King University.
Piedmont was selected for a $141.7 million grant by the United States Department of Energy for the Tennessee Lithium project in October 2022. The company is currently in the process of negotiating the grant terms. When finalized, the funding is expected to support detailed engineering and orders for the project’s long-lead items.
Tennessee Lithium is being designed as a world-class lithium hydroxide operation that will more than double the total lithium hydroxide production capacity of 20,000 tpy currently available in the U.S. The operation is expected to create 120 new, direct jobs. Construction is targeted to begin in 2023, subject to permitting and project financing, with first production targeted for 2025.
Ashley Copeland