(a)

(1) The board shall be appointed by the governor and shall be accountable to the governor and shall be accountable to the general assembly through the state and local government committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives having oversight over corrections.

(2) A person with a conflict of interest with TRICOR or with this state may not serve on the board.

(b) The board shall consist of nine (9) voting members, one (1) of whom shall be the commissioner of correction, or the commissioner's designee; provided, that the commissioner of correction, or the commissioner's designee, shall not cast a vote unless a vote taken by other board members results in a tie, in which case the commissioner of correction, or the commissioner's designee, shall cast the deciding vote. All board members, other than the commissioner of correction or the commissioner's designee, shall be citizens and residents of this state.

(c) Board members shall have the following qualifications:

(1) At least one (1) member shall be a person of eminence in the field of manufacturing, preferably with experience in management at the executive level;

(2) At least one (1) member shall be a person of eminence in the field of labor, preferably having served as an official representing organized labor at the state level;

(3) At least one (1) member shall be a person of eminence in the field of agriculture, preferably having a strong decentralized farm management background;

(4) At least one (1) member shall be a person of eminence in fiscal management of a company or organization;

(5) One (1) member shall be an attorney with a strong background in business or corporate law;

(6) One (1) member shall be the executive director of the Tennessee state employees association;

(7) The remaining members shall be persons with professional experience appropriate for assisting in carrying out the mission of TRICOR, in disciplines such as sales and marketing and human resources and relations; and

(8) In making appointments to the board, the governor shall ensure that at least one (1) person appointed to serve on the board is a member of a racial minority and at least one (1) person appointed to the board is a female.

(d) In making initial appointments to the board, two (2) members shall be appointed to terms of one (1) year, two (2) members shall be appointed to terms of two (2) years, two (2) members shall be appointed to terms of three (3) years, and two (2) members shall be appointed to terms of four (4) years. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for terms of four (4) years. A vacancy occurring in the board shall be filled by the governor for the balance of the unexpired term. When a board member's term expires, the board may elect to have the incumbent continue to serve until a new appointment is made.

(e) The governor may remove a board member only for good cause and, in so doing, the governor shall submit in writing to the member and to the general assembly the basis for the removal.