Gay Gregson of Jackson Appointed to Board of Parole

NASHVILLE --- Gov. Haslam has appointed a Jackson resident to a term on the state Parole Board. Gay Gregson begins work with the agency on February 18.

Board Chairman Richard Montgomery said, “Mrs. Gregson is a dedicated community volunteer with a great compassion for people. That background, along with her career experience as an educator and business owner, will give her a broad perspective as she begins her work with the Board. I believe she will make a positive contribution here.”

Gregson spent more than 22 years in the field of Special Education. She worked with school aged children with moderate to severe cognitive/physical challenges, provided speech therapy and communication to children who are deaf, and traveled across the state as a Career Ladder Evaluator for the state Department of Education. In 2000, she and her father opened the HoneyBaked Ham Company and Café in Jackson, and ran the store for six years. She now owns two Jenny Craig Weight Loss Centers.

Gregson’s work as a volunteer has been recognized with numerous awards. She is a past recipient of the Sterling Award, which honors the 20 most influential women in west Tennessee outside of Shelby County. She was also recognized with a Jefferson Award for community service, and she has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations.

Gregson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) and a Bachelor of Science in Speech Therapy at the University of Tennessee Speech and Hearing Center in Memphis. She also earned a Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision from Memphis State. Her term on the Parole Board runs through December 31, 2019.