Mr. Ferguson was instrumental in the formation of the Greene County Partnership after moving to Greeneville from Miami, Fla., in 1992. Hired to oversee economic development efforts for the community at a time of skyrocketing unemployment, he quickly formed a team of community leaders that created the unique concept of combining local non-profit organizations under one umbrella organization.
Under the guidance of the team and Mr. Ferguson, the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Board, the Tourism Department and Keep Greene Beautiful were combined to form the Partnership, with the Partners In Education (now Education and Workforce Development) entity being added a few years later.
During his tenure at the helm of the Partnership, the community saw phenomenal economic growth with the location of 17 new industries and numerous industrial expansions that brought thousands of new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investments, as well as the location of many new restaurants and businesses.
He played a key leadership role in developing Mount Pleasant Industrial Park and Hardin Industrial Complex and was involved in the location of such industries as Walmart Distribution, DTR Tennessee (now SRK Tennessee), Old Castle Building Envelope, Worthington Industries and John Deere Power Products, all of which remain among Greene County’s largest employers. He worked with property owners to assist in bringing the General Morgan Inn and Conference Center into existence and also helped lay the groundwork for developing the Fairgrounds Plaza and Crockett Crossing.
Among his many accomplishments was the initiation of a local community goals conference in 1993, which provided a forum in which all interested local residents could participate. This effort introduced numerous forward-thinking ideas to the local scene, including a semi-pro baseball team and a city administrator position in local government, both of which have become realities.
Because of the Partnership’s successes under Mr. Ferguson’s leadership, the organization became a model for communities across the country to emulate, resulting in visits and consultations with numerous out-of-town community leaders over the years.
Mr. Ferguson led the Partnership for more than eight years before departing in 2001 to form his own business, Ferguson Development Network. He later served for 22 months as interim president for the Regional Alliance for Economic Development, Tri-Cities TN/VA, an organization responsible for marketing a 10-county region including Greene County, before returning to the Partnership in 2010 where he remained as the president/CEO until 2016.
He was affiliated with numerous local and state economic development organizations, having served on many of their boards through the years. He also served on the Tusculum College Board of Trustees and was a member of Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his wife, Terry Ferguson of Greeneville; one son, T.J. Ferguson of Greeneville; one daughter, Jamie Ferguson Barclay of Birmingham, Alabama; grandchildren: Brooke Ferguson, Alaina Ferguson, Michael Ferguson, David Barclay, Thomas Ray Ferguson, Matthew Barclay, and Sophia Ferguson; two brothers and a sister-in-law: Michael and Christine Ferguson of Lakeland, Florida and Steve Ferguson of Yukon, Oklahoma; four sisters and two brothers-in-law: Patti Hansom, Rita and Burley Hess, Sherri Dady, all of Enid, Oklahoma, and Stephanie and Craig Brudzinski; step-father, Merle Larson of Enid, Oklahoma; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He was the son of the late Thomas Ray Ferguson and Billie Dinsmore Ferguson and was preceded in death by his step-mother, Joyce Ferguson.
The family will receive friends from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home.
The funeral service and interment will take place in Wewoka, Oklahoma.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Niswonger Educational Foundation, 16 Gilland Street, Tusculum College, P.O. Box 5112, Greeneville, TN 37745.
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