10 Year Vision for Knoxville
Knoxville should retain its small-town charm and continue to build its big-time opportunities. To achieve this, it should continue to develop Downtown, the waterfront, the fabulous greenways / urban wilderness, and recruit new economy employers and entrepreneurs here so that we become a destination for creative and civic-minded people.
What is Knoxville's Best Kept Secret?
All of the great opportunities to "get away from it all" just minutes from downtown: Ijams Nature Center, the quarries, Baker Creek and the adjacent urban wilderness. GSM National Park is wonderful, but when there's not enough time to drive there, any of the nearby outdoor destinations provide a wonderful opportunity for a quick refresh.
What would you do to strengthen Knoxville?
Work together as a community to address homelessness and gun violence. There is momentum to economic growth and development, but the problems of homelessness and gun violence persist and are the causes of suffering among our community members.
What is your favorite Knoxville memory?
Walking along the "beach" on Fort Loudon Lake by Cherokee Boulevard / Sequoyah with my son Simon in early winter near sunset. I was walking behind him and he was running west, silhouetted against the sun low on the horizon.
What is your favorite book or what book is currently on your nightstand?
Current reading on nightstand: "Seven Story Mountain" by Thomas Merton
What is the best advice you have received from a mentor, and who was that mentor?
This advice was given to me by a co-worker years ago and with whom I continue to work: "Be still" (Psalms 46:10). Too often, we react when we should listen, process, trust. This advice came over 20 years ago, and from that time I date a practice of listening and seeking to understand.
What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?
Breathe. Life throws one challenge after another in our paths. We rarely have control over what comes our way, but we can control how we set about meeting that challenge. Find the strength within to meet the challenge and accept the consequences of your action.
Connect With Us