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Published on: 07/27/2026

Tennessee Municpal League announces upcoming retirements

TML Staffers
From left to right, TML Director of Corporate Sponsorship and Conference Expo Debbie Kluth, Executive Assistant and Manager of Information Services Jackie Gupton, and Senior Director of Conference and Meeting Planning Sylvia Harris were honored at the TML 86th Annual Conference in Expo and Kingsport following the announcement of their impending retirements. WIth a combined nearly 90 years of service to local governments, all three will be stepping down from their respective roles at the end of 2026.

By KATE COIL
TT&C Assistant Editor

With a combined 88 years in service to the League, three Tennessee Municipal League employees have announced their plans to retire at the end of 2026. 

TML Executive Director Anthony Haynes thanked Sylvia Harris, Debbie Kluth, and Jackie Gupton for their many dedicated years of service and the legacy they leave behind at the League.

jackie debbie sylvia and bill lee
Over the years, all three staffers have also worked alongside employees and staff from the local, state, and federal level at a wide variety of events.. From left to right, Gupton, Kluth, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Harris at a Tennessee Municipal League Legislative Conference. 

“These three individuals have just short of 90 years of service to TML and Tennessee cities,” he said. “As they begin a new chapter in life, we wish them each all the best in the years ahead and thank them for their service.”

Jackie Gupton manages information services for TML in addition to serving as executive assistant to the executive director of TML and to the president and CEO of the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund. 

Gupton joined TML in December 2015, following two decades in Tennessee state government. In addition to overseeing data entry and supporting executive leadership, she provides daily administrative support to TML staff and works closely with the Board of Directors throughout the year and during conference meetings. 

Prior to her role at TML, Gupton served as Executive Assistant to the Comptroller of the Treasury and held key administrative positions within the Comptroller’s legal staff and the Human Resources Department Fiscal Section. She has more than 42 years of experience in administrative roles.

Her extensive background in public service and executive support makes her a vital part of TML’s operations and a trusted resource for municipal leaders across the state.

A native of Springfield where she still resides, Gupton loves spending time with her church family and traveling. The highlights of her life are her granddaughters, grandson, son, and daughter-in-law.

Debbie Kluth has served TML for more than 35 years, contributing her expertise across operations, member services, and event management. 

She began her service in August 1990 as a production manager. In 1997, she took on responsibilities overseeing conference exhibitors and corporate sponsorships for the League. 

As Director of Corporate Sponsorship and Conference Expo, she manages the annual Conference and Expo exhibit hall and leads efforts to enhance revenue through strategic initiatives such as partner memberships, sponsorships, advertising in the Tennessee Town & City digital newspaper, and marketing for exhibit booths at TML’s Annual Conference. 

Sylvia Debbie and Jackie
From left to right, photos of Harris, Kluth, and Gupton when they all started their careers at the Tennessee Municipal League. Harris began her tenure at TML as an executive secretary and production manager in 1985 and will retire as senior director of conference and meeting planning for TML, a role she has held since 1997. Kluth began her time at TML as a production manager in 1990, and has served in her current role as director of corporate sponsorships and conference expos since 1997. Gupton already had 22 years working for Tennessee state government when she joined TML in 2015 as the manager of information systems and executive assistant for both TML and TMBF. 

Her responsibilities include collecting member dues and contributing to TML’s internal databases, ensuring smooth and efficient organizational operations. She also developed the League’s first Product and Service Guide. 

Before joining TML, Kluth worked in bookkeeping, inventory control, and computer services, building a strong foundation in administrative support. A native of Union City, Kluth moved to Chicago when she was four but returned to Tennessee in 1989 to live in Smyrna. 

Sylvia Harris has served as the Senior Director of Conference and Meeting Planning for TML since 1997. 

Throughout her tenure, Harris has played a pivotal role in organizing and managing TML’s conferences and events, consistently delivering memorable experiences for attendees. She is known for her extensive institutional knowledge, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to serving local governments statewide.

She joined TML as an executive secretary and production manager in 1985 and served as a lobbyist for TML in the late 1990s. One of her first major projects at TML was transcribing longtime TML Executive Director Herb Bingham’s 1986 landmark text, Municipal Politics and Power. 

In 1990, she began her work as the League’s convention service coordinator before taking over conference planning in 1997. 
Prior to joining TML, she collaborated with TML staff as part of her work as an administrative secretary and government assistant with the University of Tennessee’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service from 1982 to 1985. After graduating from West Tennessee Business College in Jackson, she also worked as a transcriptionist for the USF&G Insurance Company.

In 2019, she received the John C. Stutz 25 Year League Service Award from the National League of Cities for her contributions to the advancement of municipal governments. 

A native of Henderson, Harris grew up on a 200-acre farm where she honed her green thumb.

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