Board taps Segrest for North Ward
Segrest is scheduled to be sworn in Thursday, Oct. 22, and will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends in August 2028, according to Town Administrator David Smoak.
Segrest was one of seven people who applied for the appointment. The other applicants were Michael Bittel, who withdrew his name from consideration; Dian Hall; Sharafat Khan; Trevor McQueen; Malcolm “Col” Stiefel, who did not attend the meeting; and Stacy Walters.
Smoak said Khan was ineligible for the appointment because he lives in a different ward.
After receiving the applications, Smoak said Board members had an opportunity to speak with the applicants. A public forum also was held before the appointment.
During the Oct. 8 meeting, each eligible applicant was given three minutes to introduce themselves and answer questions from the board.
Mayor Alex Cain, Vice Mayor Greg Wiberley and Alderman Joey Ruffalo each nominated Segrest before voting unanimously to appoint him. Alderman Drew Burnette was absent.
Segrest has lived in Knox County since 1999 and in Farragut since 2011.
“I am deeply interested in the continued prosperity, fiscal health and smart management of our community,” he said.
Segrest is co-founder and CEO/CFO of Greenleaf Industries in Lenoir City, where he oversees corporate profit and loss, risk management and long-term financial planning.
He also noted that he previously had appeared before the Board as a private citizen to express concerns about the use of eminent domain to acquire private property for greenways.
Hall has lived in the Town for 14 years, developing connections in the community. She has served on the Farragut Parks & Athletics Council, volunteers at her church and has been a board member of Fox Run Homeowners Association and a volunteer coach for youth athletics.
McQueen, a research scientist, is co-founder and STEM teacher of Tutor/Coach APT Learning Services in Knoxville. He also was an adjunct chemistry instructor for Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California, and an independent engineering contractor.
Walters, director of Brand Strategy and Communications. She said she wants to restore the character of her community and decided to become involved after a developer tried to connect to her neighborhood.
Still, “I am not against development … wants responsible development,” she said.
