Category: Motivation
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The Tri-Cities: Inside the Perimeter
Sometimes a map can say what a thousand words cannot. For example, I recently created a map superimposing Atlanta onto the Tri-Cities, TN+VA region. It takes the familiar geography of Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, Greeneville, Elizabethton, Abingdon, Blountville, Jonesborough, and the surrounding communities and places it over a region most people already understand as a…
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The Model City Rewind
Former Mayor Pat Shull has been after me for years to write a follow-up to Margaret Ripley Wolfe’s 1994 book, Kingsport, Tennessee: A Planned American City. That book was not a “Chamber of Commerce” piece that simply celebrated the good points. In many ways, it was a warning. Wolfe captured Kingsport at a turning point.…
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The Children Behind The Numbers
Sometimes we get desensitized to the noise. We are bombarded from every direction with snippets, tweets, posts, shares, headlines, and half-truths. So many people I know have either tuned out or turned it all off at the very time we most need to be paying attention. I understand that. It is a defense mechanism. But…
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When Efficiency Serves the Human Heart
Back at the beginning of my career in the mid-1980s, our community’s largest employer, Eastman Chemical, was going through a transformative process in total quality management. It was based on the management principles that helped Toyota rise from being viewed as an affordable alternative to American-made cars into a global benchmark for reliability, quality, and…
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A Lesson in Grace, Learned at Food City
Some of the most important lessons our kids learn don’t come from classrooms, coaches, or report cards. They come from time clocks, name tags, and difficult customers. When our son was 14, we thought it would be a good idea for him to get a part-time job. Our daughter, too—but I’ll save that for another…
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Finding My Way Back to the Kingsport Spirit
Lately, I’ve focused too much on data, metrics, and measures. When I started this blog, I intended it to be about my unique take on the Kingsport Spirit with stories of faith, family, people, places, & the history of my hometown. In order to understand that statement, you have to understand what “Kingsport Spirit” means.…
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Sullivan County’s Full Potential
Why City Residents Should Care Sullivan County plays a critical role in the lives of city residents, even if it can sometimes feel distant from Blountville, our collective county seat. That sense of distance is amplified by scale. The decennial census is the baseline used nationwide to establish voting precincts. In 2020, Sullivan County had…
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We Always Rise to the Occasion During Difficult Times
Have you ever thought about the difference between a city and a community? A city is a legally defined, structured entity with the authority to enforce laws. It operates under a charter, with elected officials and public services focused on managing resources and the well-being of its residents. A city has taxing authority. And if…
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Stewardship and Grace
This week, our Life Group lesson at church focused on stewardship. As we explored Biblical examples, we were invited to share experiences from our own lives. My mind immediately returned to my years in public service—to the intense budget seasons, the hard choices, and the weight of knowing every decision would affect real people. Stewardship…
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Retirement? More Like Refirement: Making A Difference in Life 2.0
It’s hard to believe it’s been six years since I retired! But to me, retirement isn’t about slowing down—it’s about “refiring.” It’s not about sitting on the couch but finding fulfillment in meaningful work. After all, you gain so much knowledge and experience over a career—it would be a shame to let it go to…
Kingsport Spirit 