During her remarkable 46 years of service to the First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability (FTAAAD), including 29 years as its director, Kathy Whitaker set a standard of leadership, compassion, and unwavering advocacy for older adults in Northeast Tennessee. Her career was defined by a deep commitment to ensuring that seniors had access to essential services, resources, and opportunities to age with dignity and independence. Through her tireless efforts, Kathy made

Mayor Joe Grandy (Washington Co.), Mayor Larry Potter (Johnson Co.), Gov. Bill Lee, Mayor Patty Woodby (Carter Co.), Mayor Rob Mathis (Cocke Co.), Mayor Kevin Morrison (Greene Co.) and Mayor Richard Venable (Sullivan Co.) FTDD Executive Director Mike Harrison joined county mayors from across the region in Nashville last week to meet with Governor Bill Lee and other state elected officials to discuss key state programs, regional priorities, and ongoing collaboration between lo

Mike Harrison and Mayor Jim Sells, June 2025 The First Tennessee Development District mourns the passing of Rogersville’s longest-serving Mayor, Mr. Jim Sells. Mr. Sells devoted nearly five decades of his life to public service, serving the Town of Rogersville with distinction as Mayor for an extraordinary 48 years before retiring in June 2025. Sells was the sixth-longest continuously serving mayor in the United States at the time of his retirement. His unprecedented tenure s