Those Who Know Zach Best…
Offer Some of the Strongest Testimonials and Endorsements
Dr. Bill Stacy, the former Chancellor the University of Tennessee Chattanooga offered the following remarks and testimonial about Zach and his campaign for Governor at a recent TeamChattanooga fundraising event. Others endorsing Zach and speaking at the event included Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield, and Chattem CEO Zan Guerry.
Leadership interests me intellectually and practically. What is it? I think the founding fathers knew all about it and named it well as a constitutional concept. Leadership is consent of the governed.
We teach in schools that leadership is given 1) to someone we think is expert in knowing what to do, and 2) to someone we think has our best interests at heart and will work for us.
Zach Wamp, we believe that’s you. You are well prepared in every issue facing Tennessee. And, Zach, we believe you have demonstrated your careful attention to serve every Tennessean, regardless of race, color, creed, economic status, faith – or any other background.
We have watched you already lead from careful study, hard work, and excellent attention to the people you serve.
One of my business heroes in Chattanooga is a friend to all of us, the best cheerleader of our town. He told me his definition of a businessman, handed down, he said from his father before him. The business man, he said, “is the guy who goes out and gets the business. All the rest of us are just clerks.”
You know how Zach fares there…what about economic impact by the billions of dollars and jobs by the thousands here, be brought here for a change, in East Tennessee. Chattanooga, Cleveland, Oak Ridge, or all the way over to Clarksville…all over Tennessee people will understand how important these jobs are to us – and how one of the candidates can actually do something about bringing us those jobs. Yes, there are some good clerks who want to promise us they can manage what we already have, but I’d take our Chattanooga definition of a “businessman” any day!
I saw – and will forever be grateful to Zach Wamp for bringing the SimCenter to our university. I also saw him bring the Technology Corridor to Tennessee, and he even let Virginia, Kentucky, and Alabama play, too.
This guy knows business. It’s time for us to send a businessman to Nashville, who not only knows how to rearrange the state’s resources, but knows how to increase our resources, by bringing business and profits and jobs and a better standard of living for all Tennesseans.
Zach, you have offered to lead and we have gathered to say we are with you. Tell us what we need to know in language we can understand. You have a powerful message of hope. You have a powerful record of service and integrity above reproach. You have a powerful record of bringing jobs and smart technology to Tennessee.
It is an honor to be on your team. We have chosen you. Now, just lead the way!
The above features excerpts from remarks made by Dr. Bill Stacy, former Chancellor of the University of Tennessee Chattanooga at a TeamChattanooga fundraising event, November 2009.
