Tennessee Planning Leadership Council

The Tennessee Planning Leadership Council was established by the Chapter in 2011 to recognize those members who have illustrated contributions to the Chapter, as well as demonstrated enhancement in planning research and ordinance development, regulation or plan preparation and the overall profession of planning in the State of Tennessee. Members must be chosen based upon achievements in one or more of the following areas:

• Drafting of a general, comprehensive or growth plan judged by peers and the jurisdiction for which it was prepared to be of extraordinary quality and recognized as utilizing innovative, yet sound, principals of planning;
• Drafting of innovative and unique provisions of a zoning ordinance, subdivision regulation, or other planning related processes - ones that can be transferred or utilized by other jurisdictions;
• Provision of continuing education to members of the profession, planning commission and board of zoning appeals members and local elected officials;
• Sharing of planning expertise through teaching, writing, and speaking including publication of nominee’s work in national, regional, or local publications.
• Drafting of significant planning legislation for consideration by the General Assembly;
• Integrally involved in the establishment or continued operation of an accredited or otherwise recognized planning program or contributed to improving standards for planning education;
• Mentoring young planners or teaching the art and science of planning;
• Distinguished service on the Chapter’s Executive Committee or Section Committee.

First preference for membership shall be persons who have obtained an AICP but members of the Chapter without an AICP are eligible. The first round of Distinguished Planners shall contain no more than ten members as nominated by any member of the Tennessee Chapter of the APA, and selected by the Executive Committee. Each year thereafter, no more than two members may be added to the Council. Potential candidates may be nominated by any member of the Chapter.

Distinguished Planners will be recognized by the Chapter and its members as distinguished in not only the field of planning but of public service to the citizens of this State. At each annual meeting of the Chapter (Fall Conference), existing members should be recognized and, as part of the program, new Distinguished Planners inducted.

* Nominations must include the nominee’s qualifications for inclusion as a TN PLC membership per the Areas of Achievement as noted above. Please limit the bio-statement to one page each.

Tennessee Planning Leadership Council Members

2011 (Charter Members)

• Bill Terry
• Michael Marchioni
• Dan Hawk
• Jim Spencer
• Karen Hundt
• Kathryn Baldwin
• Rick Gregory
• Sam Edwards
• Stanley Harrison

2012

• Steve Neilson
• Tim Roach

2013

• Ewing M. “Buz” Johnson
• Michael Carberry

2014

• Valerie Birch
• David Coode

2016

• Thomas Brashear
• Ambre Torbett

2018

• Doug Demosi
• Lynn Tully

2021

• Chuck Downham

2022

• Tom Skehan

Note: No new members were added in 2015, 2017, 2019, or 2020.