Leveraging a tradition of leadership to shape the future

Lee Institute was founded in 1997 to honor and perpetuate Bill Lee’s legacy and example of a life as a community visionary.

William States Lee III (1929-1996) served as Chairman and CEO of Duke Power and was a great advocate of civic leadership, innovation and collaboration. A gifted leader, he was instrumental in hundreds of worthy community endeavors and was awarded the North Carolina Award for Public Service.

“It isn’t much of a metaphorical stretch to say that during his lifetime Bill Lee poured as much energy into his community, state and profession as Duke Power poured into the homes and businesses of the Carolinas.”
The Charlotte Observer, July 1996