July 20, 2016
July 20, 2016
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Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero has appointed Bob Whetsel, retired City of Knoxville director of redevelopment, to a five-year term on the Board of Commissioners of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC).
“Whetsel’s long history with the City of Knoxville and strong background in redevelopment make him an ideal fit for our board,” KCDC Executive Director Art Cate said. “Having been involved in public interest and property development since 1987, he brings a wealth of experience that will serve us well.”
Prior to embarking on a career in development, Whetsel was a football coach and social studies teacher at Bearden High School. He began his development career in 1987 with a focus on inner-city properties in the private sector. He then had a 22-year career with the City of Knoxville. From 1993 to 2007, he served as director of public service, where he managed a $25 million budget and 215 employees. Whetsel was named director of redevelopment in 2008, a position he held until his retirement in 2015.
“Through my employment with the City of Knoxville, I have a long history of working closely with KCDC staff,” Whetsel said. “I look forward to putting that experience and my passion for redevelopment to work for our community by serving on the KCDC Board.”
Whetsel and his wife, Melynda, are longtime residents of the historic Fourth and Gill neighborhood. She is a retired teacher and ten-year member of the Historic Zoning Commission. Their son, Jackson, is a local attorney who also lives in Fourth and Gill.
Whetsel earned his bachelor’s degree from Emory & Henry College in 1974. He serves as chairman of the board of the Hazen Historical Museum Foundation and has been deeply involved in the Fourth and Gill community’s redevelopment, as well as the revitalization of Knoxville’s downtown and Downtown North. He also serves as a trustee of Central United Methodist Church.
Whetsel began his term on the KCDC Board of Commissioners on July 1.
KCDC’s board oversees programs provided by the agency, including affordable public housing administration, redevelopment and rental assistance programs. Other board members are: Chair Daniel P. Murphy, professor of accounting at the University of Tennessee; Vice Chair Jacqueline Arthur, general manager of the Three Rivers Market; John Winemiller, law partner at Merchant & Gould; Bruce Anderson, general counsel at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital; Gloria Garner, retired vice president of internal/external affairs for the Knoxville Area Urban League; and resident commissioner Phyllis J. Patrick, administrative assistant at Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, Inc.
Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville. KCDC’s mission is to improve and transform neighborhoods and communities by providing quality affordable housing, advancing development initiatives and fostering self-sufficiency. For more information, visit http://www.kcdc.org.
