People

Dianne Waldron, town clerk and treasurer for the town of Smyrna, retired after 40 years of service. Waldron began her career with the town as a tax clerk in 1981. Three years later, she was promoted to a supervisory role. During her time with the city, Smyrna has grown from a population of just...

Arlisa Armstrong has been appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the new USDA rural development state director of Tennessee. Prior to her appointment as state director, Armstrong spent three decades working in rural development in Western Tennessee. She successfully led several initiatives...

Sharon Rollins has retired after 37 years of service to the University of Tennessee and the UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS). The supervisor for the technical and legal consultants at MTAS, Rollins also served as a public works consultant for cities in East Tennessee. She is the...

Susan White, longtime purchasing director for the city of Jackson, retired Dec. 14, 2021 after 36 years of service to the city. White began her career with the city in 1986 as senior secretary for the senior recorder, becoming an administrative specialist in 1988. She was promoted into a purchasing...

A. Keith McDonald, mayor of Bartlett, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris at the Shelby County Shining Star Awards Dinner on Dec. 11, 2021. McDonald was awarded for his long service to his community both during and before his tenure as an elected official...

C. Thomas Robinson, executive Director of the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation for the past nine years, has announced he will retire in early February of 2022. His retirement will bring to a close a career of 40 years in Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development organization...

Donald Pannell has been selected as the new fire management consultant for the University of Tennessee’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service. Pannell will be serving out of MTAS’ Memphis office. He comes to MTAS after serving as the assistant fire marshal for the Memphis Fire Department since 2014...

Ronnie Kelly, water quality control director for the city of Cookeville, has announced his retirement on June 24, 2022. Kelly has been with the city of Cookeville for more than 40 years, beginning his employment in 1979 has a city engineer. Kelly advanced to the position of environmental engineer...

Butch Eley has been appointed as deputy to the governor by Gov. Bill Lee. Eley will continue to serve in his current role as Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration and as a member of the governor’s cabinet. Eley previously served as Chief Operating Officer in the...

Andrew Ellard has been selected as the new assistant city administrator for Morristown.  He comes to Morristown from Hattiesburg, Miss., where he has served as the director of urban development since 2017. Ellard had previously worked for the city of Hattiesburg in the department of federal and...

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper has announced he will not seek reelection in 2022.

Cooper has served as the Democratic Congressman representing Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District from 1983 to 1995 and its 5th Congressional District since 2003.

Cooper cited the state legislature's controversial move to...

Jeffrey L. Peach, who serves as the town attorney for Smyrna, Tennessee, recently graduated from the Tennessee Certified Public Manager Program. This year long certification program is accredited by the National Certified Manager Program and is offered by the University of Tennessee’s Naifeh Center...