People

Joy Baker has retired after 44 years of service as the risk management director for Johnson City. Baker joined the city in 1981 in the newly created risk management position for the city and developed numerous policies for the city to ensure risk minimization, including daily training, job site...

Charles Carter, former Millington fire chief, died Jan. 1, 2026, at the age of 77. Born at the Naval Hospital at NAS Millington, he graduated from Millington schools and attended Memphis State College – now the University of Memphis – before serving with the U.S. Navy Reserve for five years. He...

Jill Lewis has joined UT-MTAS as a finance and accounting consultant for East Tennessee. She will be based in Johnson City. She joins MTAS from the Tennessee Department of Education in Washington County where she worked as a finance consultant. From 2013 to 2021, she served as a business manager at...

Garland Harmon, former Pigeon Forge commissioner and director of the city’s public works department, died Dec. 30, 2025, at the age of 98. Harmon helped start the Pigeon Forge Volunteer Fire Department, serving for years as a volunteer fireman. He was also a supporter of the city’s incorporation and...

Tommy Thompson, one of the longest-serving district attorneys general in the state of Tennessee, died Dec. 12, 2025, at the age of 78. Thompson held office for 44 years representing the 15th Judicial District, which includes Trousdale, Jackson, Macon, Smith, and Wilson counties. He retired from the...

Gerald McCormick, former Republican Majority Leader in the Tennessee State House, died Dec. 11, 2025, at the age of 63 after a battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. McCormick represented Chattanooga’s District 26 in the State House for 14 years and had...

Michael Lankford has been selected to fill the seat left vacant by the death of late State Rep. Jeff Burkhart, R-Clarksville. Lankford presently serves as a Montgomery County commissioner, representing District 6. Lankford will represent Tennessee’s House District 75, which includes part of...

The city of Tullahoma has announced the retirement of Director of Public Works Butch Taylor and the appointment of Eric Pierce as his successor.  

Taylor dedicated 30 years of service to the city of Tullahoma. A reception in Taylor’s honor was held at the city’s public works facility prior to his...

Lance Sutton has been named the new fire marshal for the town of Nolensville. Sutton has more than 24 years of service in emergency operations and fire investigation across municipal, commercial, and industrial environments. Sutton served as a fire captain, fire inspector, engineer, and firefighter...

The municipal building for the town of Alamo has been renamed to honor former Mayor Tommy Green, who served in the role for 30 years. 

The Alamo Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously voted to rename the municipal building to honor Green for his decades of service to the community. 

Before serving as...

Jon Holmes has been selected as the new city manager for Collegedale. Holmes has more than 17 years of high-level municipal leadership experience, most recently serving for seven years as city manager of Aurora, Mo. He also served as county administrator for Franklin County, Kan.; city administrator...

James Gafford, former chief of the La Vergne Rescue Department, died Nov. 23, 2025 at the age of 86. A native of Ashland City, Gafford had a 63-year career in the fire service in both South Nashville and La Verge. He served as La Vergne’s fire chief for more than 40 years and worked with the...