Press Release from Bill Haslam for Governor; June 30, 2010:
Jim Rout Touts Haslam’s Executive Experience as “Ideal” to be Governor
MEMPHIS – Former Shelby County Mayor Jim Rout joins Republican gubernatorial candidate and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam’s Shelby County organizing committee today, bringing his eight-year experience as the county’s chief executive to the Haslam campaign.
Known for his consensus- and team-building, Rout was recently the general manager of the Mid-South Fair and is currently the president of a local bank. He served as Shelby County Mayor from 1994-2002.
“As a former mayor I know what it takes – the different skill set required – to be the executive, and Bill Haslam’s 20-plus year experience in business and as mayor is ideal to be Governor of Tennessee,” Rout said. “He’s shown the toughness to make difficult cuts and strengthen education, and he’s shown the savvy to make strategic maneuvers and put Knoxville in a healthy financial position.
“He’s my choice for governor because he has the proven record of success Tennessee needs now,” Rout added.
Rout joins former City Councilman John Bobango and longtime local GOP activists Bob Schroeder and Bill Watkins as a Shelby County Co-Chairs of Haslam’s local organizing committee. Former Shelby County Clerk Jayne Creson has now joined Haslam’s Statewide Leadership Team.
“I’m grateful to have the support of Mayor Rout because he knows Shelby County and brings tremendous local experience to the table,” Haslam said. “I’m very excited about the team we have assembled in Shelby County less than three weeks out from early voting.”
Other Shelby County leaders on Haslam’s organizing committee include:
Johnnie Amonette
Jason Beard
Sara Beard
Bob Carter
Jack Craddock
Bud Davis
Jim Duke
Margaret S. Duke
Mark Gosney
Val Gosney
Alan Graf
Ralph Horn
Gina Johnson
Bryan Jordan
Harold Kaufman
Roberta Kustoff
Jimmy Lackie
Brad Martin
Retha Moore
Allen Morgan
Joe Orgill
David Parsons
Don Pearson
Mary Pearson
John Pontius
Steve Reynolds
John Santi
Rieta Selberg
Charles Slatery
Andrew Tuck
Greyson Tuck
Suzanne Tuck
Lonnie Williams
Steve Williams
Allison Williams
Shelly Orman
Jason Orman
Martin Zummach
Mike Keeney
Gary Shorb
Frank Colvett
Lesley Colvett
Dean DeCandia
Pat Melvin
Gray Carter
Ann Gallina
Dale Lusk
Pat Kerr Tigrett
Patty Dietrich
John Cozart
Angie Cozart
Kevin Lucas
Julie Lucas
Peggy Voeller
Karen Grant
Milton Grant
Wyatt Bunker
Mary Jane Anderson
Melinda Selberg
Grant Johnson
Jeff Gaither
Melissa Leigh
Kara Carter
Bob Loeb
Shad Williams
Mayor Haslam is the two-term Republican Mayor of Knoxville, reelected in 2007 with 87 percent of the vote. A hardworking, conservative public servant, Haslam led Knoxville to become one of the top ten metropolitan areas for business and expansion, while reducing the city’s debt, tripling the rainy day fund, reducing the number of city employees to the lowest amount in 15 years and bringing property taxes to the lowest rate in 50 years. An executive leader with a proven record of success, he helped grow his family’s small business from 800 employees into one of Tennessee’s largest companies with 14,000 employees.
For more information on Bill Haslam, please visit www.BillHaslam.com.
