Press Release

Nashville – Zach Wamp, Republican candidate for Governor, announced today the names of an outstanding group of Tennesseans who will be helping him raise the funds needed for his growing statewide campaign for Governor. Wamp also named Mandy Runnels, former Finance Director for the Tennessee Republican Party, former Assistant Director of Strategic Giving at the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, and an associate of the RJD Group in Nashville, as his Campaign Finance Director.

“I am honored and grateful that so many strong leaders of our great state are willing to lend their time and their talents to help us raise the funds it is going to take to carry my campaign for Governor to the people of Tennessee,” Wamp said. “These folks are top-notch business, civic and political leaders, and they will be key players in helping us multiply the deep financial support we have already enjoyed to date.”

Joining Bill Baxter, a leading Knoxville business executive, former TVA board chairman and former Tennessee Economic & Community Development Commissioner, who Wamp had previously announced as his Statewide Finance Chairman, as the latest members of the Zach Wamp for Governor state finance team are:

Darrell Akins Oak Ridge Chairman/Partner, AkinsCrisp Public Strategies

James Amos, Jr. Nashville CEO, Tasti D-Lite

Debbie Ballard Brentwood Partner, Ballard Brooks Events

Mike Ballard Brentwood President and CEO, National Seating & Mobility

Bill Baxter Knoxville Chairman, Holston Gases, Inc.

Will Bunch Maynardville Pharmacist, Okies Pharmacy, Inc.

Tim Burchfield Johnson City Owner, Chick-fil-A of Johnson City

Lewie Card Hixson Vice Chairman/Secretary, Card-Monroe Corp.

Rick Chinn Oak Ridge Partner, R&R Properties

Corky Coker Chattanooga President, Coker Tire Company

C.W. (Pete) Craven Oak Ridge Executive Director of Board, AllMeds, Inc.

Brian DeBusk Knoxville Vice Chairman, DeRoyal

Tom Decosimo Chattanooga CEO, Decosimo Corporate Finance, LLC

Gary Gaar Eads North Delta Sales Manager, Bayer CropScience LP

Diane George Collierville Broker, Home Realty Company

Mark Graham Franklin Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Wheelhouse, LLC

Zan Guerry Chattanooga Chairman of the Board/CEO, Chattem, Inc.

John Howell Nashville Sr. Loan Officer, Home Savings of America

Bob Jackson Nashville Master Franchisee, Cartridge World

Brenda Lawson Cleveland President/CEO, Brenda Lawson & Associates

Stephen Lynn Nashville CEO, Back Yard Burgers

Marshal Mize Signal MountainPresident, Marshal Mize Ford

David Ogle Sevierville Founder/President, Five Oaks Development Group

J. Wayne Roquemore Knoxville President, Lawler-Wood

Farrar R. Schaeffer Memphis President, Bluff City Jaguar Land Rover

Stephanie Scioscia Nashville Manager and Co-Owner, Iron Horse Farm

Stephen Scioscia Nashville Vice President Corporate Development, Quorum Health Resources

Laura Sholes Jonesborough Registered Nurse

Steve Simpson Franklin Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Wheelhouse LLC

Mark Smith Norris President, Mark’s Pharmacy/”Weight To Go” Weightloss

Pete Tashie Memphis President, Tashie and Associates

John “Thunder” Thornton Chattanooga CEO, Thunder Enterprises

Michael Turley Memphis Principal, Bryan-Turley Properties

John Wade Nashville Former TN Commissioner of Tourism

"We have worked hard to earn the support of these influential leaders over the first six months of this long campaign,” Wamp said. “This is a clear indication that top notch business leaders all across the state not only believe I am the best candidate, but that with the proper resources, we will win this campaign."

Wamp said his state finance committee will continue to expand as more and more leaders sign on board. According to recent fundraising disclosures, Wamp raised more in campaign funds during the first six months of 2009 than all but one other of the nine major Republican and Democrat candidates in the race for Governor.

Just last week, an independent poll released by the Southern Political Report and published by The Tennessean, showed Wamp as the Republican voters’ top choice and out in front of all other Republican candidates seeking the August 2010 Republican gubernatorial nomination.

From better schools and universities to healthier children and families -- from more high-wage jobs to a modern infrastructure with better roads, bridges and broadband -- from strong and conservative state fiscal management to just saying "no" to a state income tax – Zach Wamp has a clear 20/20 vision of what we need to do to create an even better and brighter Tennessee and to move our state up in the national rankings.

The founder of the nationally-recognized "Tennessee Valley Technology Corridor" economic development organization, Zach Wamp has become well-known as a dynamic and visionary leader during the past 15 years of serving Tennessee's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Wamp and his wife, Kim, live in Chattanooga, and they have a son, Weston, a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and a daughter, Coty, who is a student at UT Knoxville.