Not exactly a stranger to Jackson and West Tennessee, Randy Boyd paid perhaps his most important stop ever in the area to officially kickoff his campaign for his run for governor of Tennessee.
A Republican from Knoxville, Boyd served as the state Commissioner of Economic and Community Development under Gov. Bill Haslam, made campaign stops at theCO> in Jackson Wednesday after visiting Memphis and Fruitvale, a community of about 70 people in Crockett County.
“My family had a general store in Fruitvale,” Boyd said. “With less than 100 citizens, I guess it’s the smallest town ever where a gubernatorial announcement has been made, but I care about West Tennessee, and I’ve been to West Tennessee so many times.”
Boyd, a businessman and philanthropist, said he was influenced to run for governor by the person who selected him for his cabinet.
“I was happy as a businessman and philanthropist, but Gov. Haslam told me if I wanted to make a difference … public service is the place to do it,” Boyd said. “I’m running because of Gov. Haslam’s inspiration.”
Boyd said education and employment top his agenda.
“Education – we’ve made huge progress, but we have so much further to go with bold, new innovations,” Boyd said. “My dad is an entrepreneur, and the rural areas have to be pro-active to be ready for jobs in the future. If (an) area is not ready – site, development, water treatment -the jobs will never come.”
(PHOTO: Randy Boyd with Jackson businessman Frank Lawrence)
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