We left the Nick McBride story at his graduation from Farragut High School in 1988, but there is one critical piece of his high school experience that unknowingly forged a path for his present: Part I.

During his high school junior and senior years, Nick participated in the Knox County Intern Program, held during the summer and designed to give a first-hand look at how the city, county and federal government work. The internship placement required an official application, a formal interview (with a suit and tie), and a committee decision on placement.

Candidates who were chosen would receive a letter of acceptance, with directions to be at the City County Building at eight o’clock to meet the person who would take them to the position. There were two or three students assigned to the mayor, the county trustee, and the judges. Nick was assigned first to the Property Assessor’s office in his junior year and to the Register of Deeds office during his senior year. Broadus Hubbs from the Assessor’s office was one of the first people he met. He continues to be a good friend and mentor to Nick even today.

Nick recalls the senior experience with Steve Hall, Register of Deeds. “I learned a lot in the register’s office, and of course, my dad was in real estate, so I knew a lot about the deeds. So, after I spent two weeks up there, Steve Hall told me if I was ever looking for a job, he’d be glad to have me work for him.”

Then Nick graduated from Farragut High School and went to MTSU for a year. Nick said he had a good time during that year but wasn’t really locked in, so he decided to get his real estate license and come back to Knoxville. He joined his dad at Realty Executives and bought his first house at the age of 19. (non-qualifying assumption)

He lived there with two friends who were roommates, helping pay the mortgage. He then bought the house next door, and his real estate journey began. However, he saw the need for more income, so he called Steve Hall on his previous offer, and worked in the Register of Deeds office record room two or three days a week for a year or so until he began working five days a week in December 1990.

Nick says, “I was still selling real estate, and I kept my license for a year or two after that, but I really enjoyed working in the courthouse, serving the public and the users of the office. You can’t imagine the number of people that would come through the office daily.”

Nick worked in the computer room when the registers office went paperless on June 1, 1999. He recalls the change was not without some controversy. The committee traveled all over the country looking at computer systems and landed on one. However, at the time Nick had to go against the will of his boss in choosing the vendor, but he says, “after much prayer, I landed on the other side of the fence from my boss. And by the grace of God, that computer system is still in the register of deeds office to this day: 26 years.” He reminds us how that was a learning situation from the bidding process to budgeting and how decisions are made because everything in county government is different than corporate America.

While working at the Register’s Office, Nick enrolled in Roane State, where he got two associate degrees, and then enrolled in Tusculum’s business program and graduated from there as well.

When Nick started working in the courthouse, he became very involved in GOP politics and has stayed involved for over 30 years, serving as treasurer of the party as well as treasurer for the county-wide GOP ticket on multiple occasions.

He followed in the footsteps of his mentor, Broadus Hubbs. Somehow, he had some free time to drive a limousine at night and on weekends for extra money. He loved interacting with his clients, no matter if it was a high schooler celebrating prom or pulling up to the Governor’s mansion with friends to attend a celebration.

When the state Supreme Court said that term limits do count in 2007, the existing officeholders were out. Knox County Commission appointed Sherry Witt as Register, and she appointed Nick as her chief deputy. He also served as interim register for about six months in 2008. Sherry’s term ended in 2018 when Nick decided to run, of course, and he says, “It’s been a great seven years.”

During the course of Nick McBride’s tenure, he has consistently pursued ongoing training and development to enhance his expertise in his field.

He has been enrolled in the County Technical Assistance Services program since the 90s. It covers leader issues for registers of deeds, legal issues for trustees, and  all public offices.

To list of few of the many trainings he has pursued:

  • COCTP – County Officials Certificate Training Program by University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Services. Requires 16 hours of continuing education

    Herb Byrd III with Nick McBride as Nick received county finance officer certificationannually.

  • LGLP – Local Government Leadership Program by University of Tennessee Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership
  • CCFO – Certified County Finance Officer by the Comptroller of the Treasury and the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Services
  • Nick just completed the Certified Public Administrator program, a 120- 140-hour program. He just finished the Certified County Finance Officer year-long training.
  • He just finished the CFO program, a 12-14 month program that’s administered by UT, and Audit Control is the one that does it. To read about the required trainings: University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Services by the University of Tennessee.

Now, you have the story of Nick McBride from high school junior to register of deeds. There is much more to the story in Part Three: Nick, the husband, dad and community leader, with a conclusion in Part Four.

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