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Kingsport. I worked for two great mentors House of Delegates. National committees and House of
in Kingsport, Bob Clear and Rusty Prior to being nominated to the Delegates work have provided me the
Wilkerson. They are both now deceased TCAPWA Board of Directors, I served as opportunity to write several articles for
but I think of them often and the things a Branch Director for both the Upper East the APWA Journal and speak at several
they taught me as a young manager. and Southeast Tennessee Branches (I don’t conferences and training sessions. As the
I served as Public Works Director for the think anyone else has served two different Tennessee Chapter Delegate, I hosted the
City of Athens for several years. Former branches?) 2016 Roger Clark Leadership Training
Athens Mayor and Tennessee Municipal John Calvert, TCAPWA Past President Conference in Chattanooga.
League Executive Director Margaret and former TPWI Director, asked me to I was nominated by the TCAPWA
Mahery, who I continue to respectively call assist with the Tennessee Public Works Chapter as a National Top Ten Leader in
“3M”, hired me. Together with the Council Institute, and I have taught the “Public 2016-17. While I was not selected as a
and Public Works staff, we accomplished a Works Communications” module for National Top Ten recipient, this was one
great deal during my time in Athens. The Public Works Management classes for of the highest honors of my career!
Council empowered former City Manager, many years. I am presently not involved at the state
Mitchell Moore, and me to address a wide Opportunities to Become More Active or national level. Due to many other
range of needs and concerns. Many new commitments, I decided to take a year or
policies and procedures were implemented APWA National afforded me several so away from major involvement to better
that took the city to another level of opportunities to get involved at the focus on my job and family, but I am sure
professional management. national level. I served seven years as a this is only temporary. I currently serve on
I returned to the Tri-Cities area and Chapter Delegate representing TCAPWA several other local and state Boards and
began my “2nd Career” in the private at the HOD. I’m proud to have followed Commissions and seem to stay pretty busy!
sector in late 2004. Since then I have APWA Past President Bo Mills in this Both my previous municipal employers,
worked for four different consulting firms role. I have served on various national Kingsport and Athens, were big supporters
as a result of acquisitions, mergers, and committees including both Region 3 and of APWA and made sure employees had
better opportunities. Fortunately, I have National Nominations Committees, the the opportunities to be involved. Mattern &
been with Mattern & Craig since 2012, Government Affairs Committee and most Craig is a tremendous supporter of APWA
but I have been well acquainted with recently the Transportation Technical and the Chapters where we work. We
the firm and many of the key staff since Committee. sponsor various Chapter events, host and
1992-93. We, the City of Kingsport, were As chair of the Government Affairs attend meetings, provide speakers and
the firm’s first major client in Tennessee Committee, I had the opportunity to articles, and often provide door prizes and
when they opened an office in downtown work on Public Works concerns and other items – just to name a few things
Kingsport. Randy Beckner, Principal/ issues such as advocacy, funding, work that the firm does to promote APWA and
Chairman, and I stayed in touch through force development and the associations’ engage with like-minded professionals. We
the years and in 2012, we mutually decided priorities for the 116th United States have multiple members in all the states
that I should come to work for M&C. Congress. During my tenure on these where we live and work, including APWA
national committees, I have met and
APWA Involvement worked with some of the very best friends Board Member and South Carolina
Chapter Past President Jim Neal. M&C
I learned about APWA from the late and Public Works professionals in the encourages and incentivizes employees to
Roger Clark, Hal Beard, and Ronnie nation! Through the HOD and GAC, I write articles and speak at technical and
Hammonds, my Kingsport co-workers. met and became close friends with current professional conferences.
I was a member of several other APWA National President Keith Pugh.
professional organizations but found that
APWA was the “best fit” for me. I think
that I joined APWA around 1995. I soon Key Insights
began attending branch meetings, later It is vitally important to network with like-minded professionals who are
a TCAPWA Conference in Nashville, focused on the same issues and concerns and serving the public. My involvement
and then APWA Congress, now known in APWA has led to so many meaningful and helpful relationships that I cannot
as PWX, in Chicago. At that first APWA begin to name. As I became more engaged with APWA and other members
Congress, I met Bob Freudenthal, Rodney around the state and eventually the nation, I began to realize that we are all facing
Keeton, Mark Miller, and several other many of the same issues and problems, day in and day out.
eventual TCAPWA Chapter leaders for Attending branch meetings was the beginning for me. Hearing others around
the first time. my general area describe what they were facing helped me learn to listen
At the state (TCAPWA) level, I and share experiences. My experiences with APWA, especially through the
have served on and chaired numerous Government Affairs Committee, opened my eyes and provided answers to many
committees and served as an officer. questions that I was often afraid to ask or simply didn’t understand at the time.
I have served several roles at the Hearing others express their concerns and explain their approaches to various
Board level and hosted a TCAPWA issues helped me to relate and ask more relevant questions. At the end of the day,
State Conference at MeadowView in as Public Works professionals, we all serve the public and work towards common
Kingsport. I served as Chapter President goals. I encourage everyone to get involved and ask questions. Your membership
and as a Chapter Delegate to the APWA in APWA is all what you make of it.

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