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A. J. Fox
SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. — A.J. Fox wants to raise the bar for recreation in Marion County’s southwest corner.
Mr. Fox, South Pittsburg’s new Parks and Recreation director, said he gained a love for people and recreation from working part-time in Manchester, Tenn.; from a Walt Disney World internship; and through teen programs he helped operate during college.
“This is my first full-time job,” said Mr. Fox, 24, as he walked beside Nickajack Lake at the town’s River Park last week.
He took the job because he wants to “put all his effort into this one job,” he said.
Mr. Fox completed another internship with the YMCA in Woodstock, Ga., just before he started job hunting. He said he was glad to be able to go to work with new projects in hand.
“Before I got here the city was working on a ball field complex and a skate park,” he said. Those projects are his focus now, but he hopes to expand on some ideas with South Pittsburg leaders and officials in nearby Kimball, he said.
“What I would like to do is get both cities, since we’re only two miles apart, together toward funding recreation for both (towns) and the surrounding area,” he said.
“When it comes to my field, I have no boundaries,” he said. “I have to provide services for everybody.”
He’s researching how other towns have worked together to design and fund projects, he said.
Mayor Mike Killian said town officials like the training and background Mr. Fox brings to the job.
The new director is helping the city look at ways to expand recreation, possibly on some unused properties in town, Mr. Killian said.
“He clearly has hands-on experience,” he said. “We’ve got him doing some longer-range planning.”
The mayor said that as a parent of two children in local sports, he’s watched how Mr. Fox interacts with families.
“It seems to be running smoothly,” he said.
Lifelong friend J.J. Ley, who grew up with Mr. Fox in Coffee County’s Hillsboro, Tenn., says South Pittsburg has gained a strong leader for its recreation.
“He’s one of the most moral, caring people I’ve ever known,” Mr. Ley said. “He’ll bend over backward to help someone, but he’s not reckless.”
Mr. Ley said his friend faces challenge with hard work.
“He’s always good at what he does,” he said.
PERSONAL GLANCE
Name: A.J. Fox
Occupation: South Pittsburg Parks and Recreation director
Personal: Parents, Gerald and Janet Fox; sister, Renee Baumann
Something people don’t know about me: “My No. 1 favorite sport is paintball.”
Ben Benton is a news reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He covers Southeast Tennessee and previously covered North Georgia education. Ben has worked at the Times Free Press since November 2005, first covering Bledsoe and Sequatchie counties and later adding Marion, Grundy and other counties in the northern and western edges of the region to his coverage. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Tenn., a graduate of Bradley Central High School. Benton ...
