Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of stories profiling the major candidates for Tennessee’s U.S. Senate and governor seats. This week, we began profiling candidates in the governor’s race. Visit timesfreepress.com/politics to read previous profiles.
Bio
Name: Randy BoydPolitical party: RepublicanAge: 58Education: He graduated from Doyle High School in Knoxville at age 16, earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial management from the University of TennesseeFamily: He and his wife of 33 years, Jenny, live in Knoxville and have two grown sons and a granddaughter.Work: He worked as a youth for his father’s business, Fi-Shock, before starting his own business, Storm Alert, that failed. But he later turned the idea of invisible fencing into Radio Systems.What you might not know: Boyd met his wife at a discotheque in Knoxville “and that was the last time she saw me dance.”
Endorsements
› Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee› A number of Tennessee state legislators, including Sen. Steve Dickerson, Sen. Ed Jackson, Sen. Jon Lundberg, Sen. Shane Reeves, Sen. Richard Briggs, Sen. Becky Massey, and state Reps. Gerald McCormick of Chattanooga, Michael Curcio, Martin Daniel, Ron Gant, Bill Sanderson, Ron Travis, Kent Calfee, John Ragan, Cameron Sexton Eddie Smith.› More than 60 city mayors and 51 of 95 county mayors, including Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger
Accomplishments
› Boyd founded and grew Radio Systems Corp. in Knoxville into a business with more than 700 employees and over $400 million a year in sales from more than 4,600 pet products under brand names such as Invisible Fence, PetSafe, and SportDOG.› In 2013, Boyd took a year-long leave of absence from his company to serve as an unpaid education advisor to Gov. Bill Haslam to expand the Tennessee Achieves program into the Drive to 55 initiative and the Tennessee Promise program, which guarantees free community college and a volunteer mentor for every high school graduate in Tennessee.› In 2015 and 2016, Boyd served in Haslam’s cabinet as commissioner for economic and community development, where he helped attract a record 50,000 new job commitments and $11 billion in new business investment to Tennessee.› Randy and his wife, Jenny, have donated more than $13 million to schools and charities, not counting his contribution to the University of Tennessee which named its Center for Business and Economic Research after Boyd in 2016.
Who is running for Tennessee governor
Republican› Diane Black, Gallatin› Randy Boyd, Knoxville› Beth Harwell, Nashville› Bill Lee, Franklin› Basil Marceaux Sr., Soddy-Daisy› Kay White, Johnson CityDemocrat› Karl Dean, Nashville› Craig Fitzhugh, Ripley› Mezianne Vale Payne, GainesboroIndependent› Mark “CoonRippy” Brown, Gallatin› Sherry L. Clark, Knoxville› Justin Cornett, Lenoir City› Gabriel Fancher, Murfreesboro› Sean Bruce Fleming, Bradley› William Andrew Helmstetter, Cleveland› Cory King, Knoxville› Matthew Koch, Chattanooga› Tommy Ray McAnally, Tullahoma› Jessie D. McDonald, Nashville› Toney Randall Mitchell, Cleveland› Yvonne Neubert, Knoxville› Alfred Shawn Rapoza, Henderson› Chad Riden, Nashville› Robert Sawyers Sr., Nashville› Heather Scott, Mt. Juliet› George Blackwell Smith IV, Chattanooga› Jeremy Allen Stephenson, Seymour› Tracy C. Yaste Tisdale, Maryville› Mike Toews, Signal Mountain› Rick Tyler, Ocoee› Vinnie Vineyard, Pigeon Forge› Jaron D. Weidner, Memphis› Patrick Whitlock, Franklin› Joe B. Wilmoth, Nashville› Mark Wright, MurfreesboroSource: Tennessee Division of Elections