State Sen. Becky Massey was invited by the March of Dimes to participate in a congressional briefing on the organization’s 2025 State of Maternal and Infant Health Report Card. She is the only state legislator invited to speak. The briefing was Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the U. S. Capitol for members of Congress, staff and national stakeholders.

Sen. Massey surely felt right at home since her father, John J. Duncan Sr., and her brother, John J. Duncan Jr., represented TN-02 in Congress from 1965-88 (John) and from 1988-2019 (Jimmy).

Massey highlighted Tennessee’s ongoing efforts to improve maternal health outcomes, including legislation to expand access to care, strengthen community support, and promote healthier pregnancies statewide.

Senator Massey’s efforts in Tennessee have included:

  • Senate Bill 1674 – ensures that pregnant women can receive essential prenatal care without having to travel long distances.
  • Senate Bill 1791 – ensures new diseases are reported from the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) within three years for newborn screenings.
  • Senate Bill 1283 – strengthens prenatal care by expanding critical health screenings for pregnant women.

“In Tennessee, we have worked to lead the nation in strengthening support for mothers and newborns through expanded access to care and improved maternal health initiatives. This is a great opportunity to share what we’re working on and hear from others who are focused on improving maternal health across the country so we can continue advancing policies that make a real difference for families all over the country,” Massey said.

For information about March of Dimes and the Report Card, visit its website here.

Voices of Impact at Knoxville Chamber

Laren Miller, Natalie Stair, Dr. Laurie Shanderson and Chrystal Armstrong Brown

The Knoxville Chamber (Knoxville, Tennessee) hosted a “Voices of Impact” breakfast last week featuring a panel of three of Knoxville’s newest nonprofit CEOs: Natalie Stair of YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley, Chrystal Armstrong Brown of United Way of Greater Knoxville, and Dr. Laurie Shanderson of Knoxville Area Urban League.

The three leaders shared insights on each nonprofit’s critical work in our community; how they collaborate; and how their services impact workforce development and other business community priorities, said Lauren Miller, chief executive officer of MoxCar Marketing and Communications.

“MoxCar is proud and honored to work with all three of these organizations, and we’re excited about the important and evolving work ahead.”

The Trust Company adds two

The Trust Company of Tennessee has hired Elizabeth Bradshaw as a client specialist and Zachary “Zach” Showalter as a business advisory services consultant.

Founded in 1987 and with offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville and the Tri-Cities, The Trust Company of Tennessee currently has more than $6 billion under management. The firm helps individuals, families, business owners and nonprofits make better financial decisions through wealth management, personal investment strategy, corporate retirement plans, estate planning, personal trust and nonprofit investing services.

Elizabeth Bradshaw

Bradshaw works with relationship managers to support client needs. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Berry College and a master’s (MBA) in finance from the University of Tennessee. Her previous roles as an office manager included budget management, financial report preparation, accounting record analytics and accounting processes, including payroll, accounts payable and donation processing.

Zach Showalter

Showalter serves business owners by guiding them through the process of planning and executing their business strategy with customized plans that include financial planning, business valuation and succession strategies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Miami University, Ohio. He has a strong interest in the transition of wealth and succession planning and previously managed private and mainstream investments for a private trust organization.

Scott Bird provided content for this report; Photos by Charles Brooks Photography.

In Memoriam: Business/Political leaders

Mildred Braden: Selling couches and chairs

Mildred Braden

Mildred Ruth Franse Braden passed away on December 3, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mildred and her husband, McKinley Braden, founded Braden’s Furniture on May 1, 1956. The business will celebrate its 70th anniversary this coming May – still under Braden family leadership, now the third-generation.

During World War II, while McKinley served in the South Pacific for more than three years, Mildred worked faithfully at Fulton Manufacturing. Their beautiful love story spanned 71 years until McKinley’s passing in 2013. Family and friends are invited to share memories with the family at the obituary site, here.

Lester Gann: A worker’s gotta work

Lester Gann

Lester E. “Pops” Gann passed away on December 9, 2025, at the age of 81. A resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, and member of Grace Baptist Church, Mr. Gann was hard-working from beginning to end. According to his obituary, here, he started picking fruit across the eastern United States as a boy. And he worked alongside his brothers in their brick masonry business.

In 1965, Lester was drafted into the U. S. Army, serving in Vietnam from 1966-67. Upon his discharge, he returned to Knoxville and embarked on a career as a draftsman for Knoxville Iron. His career continued with several other Knoxville businesses before he founded his own company, Industrial Fabrication & Repair. Lester led the company for 35 years and remained as a consultant for an additional 10 years until his retirement.

This hard-working man included farming in his list of hobbies. His wife of 53 years is Glenda Gann; their sons are Greg and Wes, along with their families. The family will receive friends on Friday, December 12, 2025, from 1-2 p.m. at Berry Highland Memorial, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville. A service will follow at 2.

Randy Tyree: Eager to serve the public

Randy Tyree

Randy Tyree, two-term mayor who brought the 1982 World’s Fair to Knoxville, Tennessee, has died at age 85. “Run, Randy, Run” was his slogan, as if folks had to convince the ambitious young lawyer to jump into the mayor’s race. He was always the youngest guy in the room.

He worked for the KPD during law school – on patrol and sometimes undercover – and he ended up the boss of cops and firefighters just a few years later as the city’s safety director. He beat Mayor Kyle Testerman in 1975, by fewer than 400 votes, to become Knoxville’s youngest mayor at age 34.

Mr. Tyree had business and political setbacks as he failed to win election as governor and left office as mayor in 1983, just as the world caved in on his ally, banker Jake Butcher. Randy fell back on his career as an attorney, remained active in civic affairs and stayed close to his family, former wife Mary Pat and their four children. Interestingly, he volunteered at the Sunsphere, meeting visitors and relating stories of when the world came to Knoxville.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Sunsphere on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 10 a.m. Details of the service are in his obituary, here.

Notes & Quotes

Quote: “The best way to keep people from thinking you’re a jerk isn’t to try bullying the media into telling only the story you want told. The best way is to stop being a jerk.” – Bill Shory, news director at WBIR-TV on January 12, 2010, when Lane Kiffin left Knoxville after coaching for just one year. Shory, wearing a black trenchcoat, refused to accept Kiffin’s terms to talk with reporters but without cameras. Shory takes on Bud Ford here. Adam Sparks recounts the tale for USA Today here.

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