Page 14 - Mar-Apr2023 Vol40 No7

SEVIERVILLE By Bryon Fortner
PW Spotlight: Bryon Fortner

Public Works Director

After growing up in East Knox Smoky Mountains,
County, I attended the best engineering watching Tennessee
school in the State, the University of sports, playing
Tennessee. Upon graduation in 1988, tennis, and a new
I started my career with the Federal favorite sport,
Highway Administration and spent about pickleball! We
five years there. have farmland
After going through the highway here in Tennessee
engineer training program, I was a project and Georgia, as
engineer for the Eastern Federal Lands well as manage a
Highway Division in Sterling, Virginia rental cabin that
and managed several projects in the we bought a couple
Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. area years ago. Serving
on the George Washington Memorial with Samaritans
Parkway and Dulles Airport Access Road. Purse doing disaster
I left the FHWA in 1993 to attend the relief work is also a favorite! with TSPE and I was a has-been, I focused
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Just thinking about being the Public more on TCAPWA and have helped with
where I received a Master of Divinity in Works Director in the City of Sevierville many different duties, serving on the audit
Pastoral Care and Counseling. A highlight for nearly three decades, it’s a bit scary committee, teaching at the TPWI, serving
of my seminary time was spending two to think about the changes I’ve seen over as Upper East Director, being on the
summers working as a chaplain in a the years: automated garbage collection, APWA awards committee, etc.
Myrtle Beach campground…a tough renovating an old warehouse into a Public Right now, as I’m almost ready to
assignment, but someone had to do it! Works facility, completely reconstructing think about riding off into the sunset,
As my graduation from seminary our historical downtown business I’m just helping with teaching at TPWI
approached in 1996, I put out my ministry district (an $8M project), many major classes, and I want to stay involved in
resume and eventually turned down road projects, many major development that great program for as long as Ronnie
a chaplaincy job that I just didn’t feel projects, and an exponential increase in Hammonds will let me!
right about (without having anything traffic signals and technology around The City of Sevierville is very
else to turn to). I believe that was God’s them, to just name a few…it’s been a fun supportive of our employees being
providence in eventually leading us to career! We now have about 60 employees. involved in great organizations like
Sevierville. Public Works here in Sevierville APWA and encourages and funds trips to
Settling Down in Gatlinburg; Working in includes engineering, streets, traffic conventions as well as allows us time to
Sevierville control, solid waste, project management, serve on boards, committees, etc.
I started in Sevierville in June of the fleet maintenance, facilities maintenance, To me, being involved in APWA,
same year. Lori and I were married earlier and like many of you reading this article specifically TCAPWA, has been
that year (we met in seminary) and we know, anything else that doesn’t quite invaluable in forging wonderful
now have two grown kids, Abby (a middle fit anywhere else! When the time came relationships across the state with some
school teacher and high school lacrosse for us to enter into the trolley business of the best people anyone could wish to
coach in Chattanooga) and Wes, a senior in (along with our sister cities), guess who know! Some of my best friends are fellow
Computer Engineering at UT. We’d have an was tasked with that fun project? Yes, public works professionals and it’s very
empty nest if it weren’t for our two dogs! that’s the “duties as assigned” on your job much like a family.
We joined First Baptist Church description, right? In 2022, we lost both my father-in-law
Gatlinburg after finding a house to APWA Involvement and my mother within about six months
purchase in Gatlinburg in 1997. The youth I think I joined APWA early on at my of each other, and some of the first people
pastor left for another job that year, so career here at Sevierville in 1996 and reaching out to me were friends I’d made
the pastor at the time invited me to lunch attended my first PWX in Las Vegas across the state in our Public Works
to talk about me becoming the part-time in 1997…that was an eye-opening family. I have yet to meet a Public Works
youth minister at First Baptist Church experience, and I knew from that point I professional that does not have a servant’s
Gatlinburg. Last year, I celebrated 25 years wanted to get involved, but I was already heart. That’s what it’s really all about…
in that position! serving on the board for TSPE and making our little place in the world a better
Outside of work and church, we’ve got eventually became the state president. place, and I count this service as one of
all kinds of interests. We love exploring the Once my official duties were completed God’s many blessings in my life!
14 TPW March/April 2023