Lilienthal, David Eli, << LIHL ee uhn `thawl,` DAY vihd EE ly >> (1899-1981), was the first chairperson of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. He was appointed by President Harry S. Truman in 1946 and served until 1950. As chairperson, he worked to establish public use and civilian control of nuclear energy. Lilienthal also was a director of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) from 1933 to 1946 and chairperson of TVA from 1941 to 1946. At TVA, he vigorously promoted both government production of electric power and locally-based regional planning. He wrote TVA: Democracy on the March (1944).
Lilienthal was born on July 8, 1899, in Morton, Illinois. He graduated from DePauw University and Harvard University Law School. Lilienthal died on Jan. 14, 1981.
