"Faith, Family and Purpose" presented by Bill Lee, Tennessee Gubernatorial Candidate, Chairman of Lee Company, and Fourth Generation Cattle Farmer

“I’m passionate about serving people. This desire [to be governor] is born out of a desire to make life better, and that’s why I’m running," Lee said. "I love Tennessee. I love the people of Tennessee... My family’s been here for seven generations.”

Bill Lee is running for Governor, but he is not a politician. He is a cattle farmer, a businessman, a man of faith, a husband, father and grandfather, and a seventh generation Tennessean. At Lee Company, his fourth generation family-owned business of 1200 employees in Williamson County, Bill works with electricians, pipe fitters, and plumbers. Under his leadership the business grew from $20 million to $225 million. He has spent a good part of his life doing what he can to make life better for his employees and their families, and now he would like to try to make life a little better for six and a half million Tennesseans. 

After launching his campaign officially in April 2017, Bill and his wife set off on a "95 Counties, 95 Days RV Tour" across Tennessee. During his travels, he learned firsthand that most Tennesseans have a few things in common. They want a good job, a good school for their kids, and a safe neighborhood for their families. He desires to deliver those things for every family across our state. As such, he was the first candidate to release his key strategies and policies in the Roadmap for Rural Tennessee, which reflects tradition and innovation at its best.

Recently, at the gubernatorial forum on education, Bill shared how he's passionate about breaking the status quo and doing something different, "I hear all of the time [from Tennesseans], 'I'm afraid if we do Charters, Choice, or something different that we're going to mess up the education system somehow.' ...What I'm afraid of is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results, which puts us in the bottom half of states in education."

Bill Lee is a man of faith, family, and deep purpose. Through a family tragedy, he learned what was most important in life. Through faith, he found hope and a future. Now, as a husband, father, business leader, and potentially our next governor, he fights to preserve these values we hold dear while making life better for all Tennesseans.

On February 9, come and meet the man, be moved by his personal and professional story, and hear his vision and hope for a better Tennessee.

Meet Our Speaker: Bill Lee

As a seventh-generation Tennessean, Bill Lee’s roots run deep in this state. Bill was born in Middle Tennessee where he still resides today with his wife Maria on his family’s farm. He’s the proud father of four adult children (Jessica, twin sons Jacob and Caleb, and Sarah Kate) and five grandchildren.

After attending Williamson County Schools, Bill went to Auburn University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. When he graduated, he returned home to Franklin to join the family business his grandfather started in 1944. Through hard work, Bill learned what it takes to lead a company, doing what is necessary to help build a business and create jobs. He held several roles at Lee Company before becoming President of the company in 1992. Under Bill’s leadership, the company grew into a comprehensive facilities solutions and home services company.

Life threw some of the most difficult challenges on Bill when his first wife Carol Ann tragically died in a horseback riding accident in 2000. He learned how short life is, how every minute counts, and that only a few things in life truly matter. He took a step back from Lee Company to raise their children.

In Bill’s absence, the company found itself in a very difficult financial position. Determined not to let his grandfather’s company fail, he returned and made tough choices to turn around the business. It was one of the most painful seasons his company ever faced but resulted in a repositioning that put the company on a new course for success.

Now, Lee Company employs more than 1,200 individuals with annual revenues of $215 million. The company has won numerous awards for work culture and business accomplishments, and Bill was named a “Most Admired CEO” in 2015 by the Nashville Business Journal. With his family’s company thriving, Bill stepped back to serve as Chairman of Lee Company in 2016. In 2017, Lee Company was chosen by the Tennessean as the best large company to work for, as chosen by employees.

In addition to his responsibilities as Chairman of Lee Company, Bill is also active in Triple L Ranch, a fourth-generation family farm founded by his grandparents. Triple L Ranch operates a 1,000-acre, 400-head Hereford cattle operation, providing natural beef to farmers markets and farm to table restaurants throughout Middle Tennessee.

With a belief that education can be the gateway to greater opportunities, Bill has served as the 7th Congressional District’s representative to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. He’s also on the Board of Trustees at Belmont University.

Bill has a heart for serving others. Bill is the past president of Tennesseans for Economic Growth, past chairman of YMCA of Middle Tennessee, past president of the Associated Builders and Contractors, and has served on the board of several community organizations including Hope Clinic for Women, Men of Valor Prison Ministry, Fellowship of Christian Athletics, Operation Andrew and many others.

Bill is a man of faith, and he and Maria are active in Grace Chapel Church and in numerous faith-based ministries, which have taken him all over the world to serve people in need, including Africa, Central America, Haiti, and Iraq.

Coffee, light breakfast, and TLC served.