Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission
Photo of: TFWC Chairman Jimmy Granbery
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About the Commission
Our governing body is referred to as the Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission (TFWC).
In 1949, Governor Gordon Browning appointed the historic first group of commissioners to provide governance for what has evolved into today’s Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Since the earliest days of Governor Browning’s first commission picks to the TFWC’s most recent appointments, hundreds of “private citizens” have freely given their time, energy, and intellect to make Tennessee a role model of fish and wildlife management. The goal remains today to parallel wise management of our natural resources with the interests and concerns of sportsmen.
The TFWC commissioners are non-salaried public servants who spend countless hours corresponding with constituents within assigned districts. Nine members of this 13-member voting group receive six-year appointments from our governor, and the state’s General Assembly (House and Senate) appoints four members to four-year terms. In addition to the 13 TFWC members, there are also three ex-officio commissioners that include our governor, our state agriculture commissioner, and our environment & conservation commissioner.
The men and women who serve Tennessee’s sportsmen, wildlife enthusiasts, and boaters, strive to create a combination of management that has positive results for our natural resources and our citizens who have long provided monetary and moral support for wise fisheries and wildlife management. Our TFWC commissioners are the sportsman’s representatives when it comes to fish, wildlife, and state boating issues.
- December 5-6, 2024 - Memphis, Ducks Unlimited National Headquarters
- January 9-10, 2025 - Dyersburg Tennessee
- February 20-21, 2025 - Nashville Tennessee
2024 Meetings
Chair
District 5: Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Davidson, Franklin, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, and Wilson
2022 Fransworth Drive
Nashville, TN 37205
615-252-8121
jimmy.granbery@tn.gov
Commissioner Granbery enjoys all aspects of being in the outdoors including hunting, fishing, farming, and spending time with his family in various activities. He serves as Chairman/CEO of H.G. Hill Realty Company.
He is involved with several organizations including the TWRF (Heritage Club), NWTF, NRA, and AOPA. Also, he is a board member of the Nashville Zoo, “it’s very rewarding to see the collaboration between TWRA and the Zoo.” He enjoys high school and college sports and following the Nashville Predators and Tennessee Titans. He is a graduate of Hillwood High School and earned his BBA degree from the University of Mississippi.
“I look forward to serving the Great State of Tennessee as a TFWC commissioner and to get more kids in the woods/water, either hunting, fishing, or boating.” Mr. Granbery and his wife, Jamie, have two children, son Treanor (Jessie) and daughter Marion (Adam) Floyd, and four grandchildren, Franklin, Helen, Clayton and Bowen.
Vice-Chair
District 4: (District 4) - Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie
206 Morrison Street
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350
615-483-6671
chris.devaney@tn.gov
Commissioner Devaney lives in the Hamilton County community of Lookout Mountain TN. He has a long-standing career in public affairs and communications and is the founding partner of the Poplar Group. He serves on the board of the Children’s Program of Haiti, a non-profit that works to prevent and rehabilitate those suffering from childhood malnutrition.
Commissioner Devaney grew up in Texas and has been a life-long hunter and fisherman. He also enjoys hiking and college football. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.
Commissioner Devaney and his wife, Heather, are the parents of four adult children. They are members of the Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church.
Secretary
9105 Crockett Road
Brentwood, TN 37027
615-883-3243
Greg.Davenport@tn.gov
Commissioner Davenport is an avid outdoorsman and sportsman and has served as chairman of the Williamson County chapter of Ducks Unlimited, a volunteer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service duck species harvest reporting, and a TWRA hunter safety instructor.
He has enjoyed a forty-year hunting career in Tennessee, which includes observance of game and nongame species in native environments, and is a lifetime member of the NRA and a member of Safari Club International.
Commissioner Davenport is president of J.R. Wauford and Company, Consulting Engineers, Inc., a leading regional civil engineering firm specializing in the design of municipal water and wastewater facilities.
Commissioner
District 1: Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Greene, Grainger, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Washington
P.O. Box 550
Piney Flats, TN 37680
423-946-0639
tommy.l.woods@tn.gov
Commissioner Woods resides in the Sullivan County community of Piney Flats. He is the owner and operator of Acorn Electrical Specialist, Inc., and also involved in farming. He enjoys hunting, skeet and trap shooting and fishing.
Mr. Woods served as Commission chair for 2023-24. He is active in several organizations including Coalition for Kids, East Tennessee Youth Outdoors, and Bristol Motor Speedway Children’s Charities. He attended school at Sullivan East High School, Northeast State Community College, and East Tennessee State University.
Mr. Woods is interested in “The progression of participation in Tennessee outdoor activities, especially youth involvement.” He enjoys activities with his family which includes his wife, Tammy, and their children Hayden and Haylee and grandchild Callan Wade Dennis..
District 2: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Cumberland, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, and Union
Commissioner Little is an attorney for the Woolf-McClane firm in Knoxville whose primary areas of practice include construction law, commercial litigation, and product liability/toxic tort. He has been a member of Best Lawyers in America© by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® since 2009. In 2019, Mr. Ford was selected as one of America’s Top 100 Bet-the Company Litigators®.
A hunter and fisherman, Commissioner Little is excited about the opportunity to serve on the Commission. “I look forward to listening and learning about the role that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency plays in managing and preserving Tennessee’s fish and wildlife so that current and future citizens of our great state can enjoy its abundant resources.”
Commissioner. Little has been active in several professional and civic organizations. He is a member of the Construction Lawyers Society of America (Charter Fellow), Knoxville Bar Association (Fellow), Tennessee Bar Association, and Knox County Industrial Board, Associated General Contractors of Tennessee.
He is a past president of The University of Tennessee Alumni Association and past chair of The University of Tennessee Past Presidents Council. Commissioner Little has served on The University of Tennessee Alumni Association Board of Governors and UTK Chancellor’s Associates. He currently serves on the Board for the Helen Ross McNabb Foundation Board of Directors. He is a past member of the boards of the Helen Ross McNabb Center, Dogwood Arts Festival, and is a member of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in accounting and earned his Juris Doctor degree (J.D.) from Vanderbilt. He and his wife, Malinda, have two children, James (Georgia) and Carlen.
District: 3: Macon, Trousdale, Smith, Dekalb, Warren, Grundy, Van Buren, White, Putnam, Jackson, Clay, Pickett, Overton, Fentress
125 Nash Cemetery Road
Allardt, TN 38504
Cell: 931-267-7899
rhonda.moody@tn.gov
Commissioner Moody currently serves as the president of the Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Alliance and has been a member of the boards of the University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension, the Upper Cumberland Tourism Association, the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and the National Wild Turkey Federation, which she served as chapter president.
After working as the chief operating officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cumberland Plateau, she, along with her husband, founded The Sawbriar at Big South Fork, a meticulously developed property specifically designed with premium upland bird hunting in mind.
Ms. Moody is well informed on the conservation of game animals, birds, and fish within this State; and earned an Associate of Science degree in Biology from Roane State Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University.
District 6: Cheatham, Dickson, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis, Maury, Montgomery, Stewart, Wayne, and Williamson
3870 Albert Matthews Road
Columbia, TN 38401
931-698-0243
stan.butt@tn.gov
Commissioner Butt resides in Columbia and serves as an association executive and farmer. He a graduate of Portland High School in Sumner County and Tennessee Tech University and attended National Executive Institute, Nashville Auction School, and Bear Valley School of Biblical Studies.
Commissioner Butt has been involved in several organizations including Portland Rotary, Woodbine Kiwanis, Germantown, Kiwanis, Columbia Breakfast Rotary, Maury County Cattlemen’s Association, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, and the Farm Animal Care Coalition of Tennessee. He is also on the Advisory Board for KORD Animal/Health Lab at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and a member of the State Technical Advisory Committee.
As a commissioner, he is looking forward to “learning about the operation of the Agency, addressing constituents concerns in the district. Also, focusing on development and management of native species (I.e. deer, elk, turkey quail).” He is also looking forward to getting to know officers, biologists, and WMA managers in his district. He enjoys hunting, fishing, and training dogs. He and his wife, Sheila, have four sons and 14 grandchildren.
District 7: Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Perry
315 Elkhorn Road
Paris, TN 38242
731-336-5832
monte.belew@tn.gov
Commissioner Belew serves as the Director of Public Safety at his alma mater, The University of Tennessee at Martin. He moved into his role after serving as sheriff in Henry County and also is a former Tennessee Highway Patrol state trooper.
He enjoys deer, duck, and turkey hunting, dog training, and fishing, especially on Kentucky Lake.
“Hoping to be able to give back to something that has given so much to me!” he said. “Hunting, fishing loving every day,” like Luke Bryan. Commissioner Belew is a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited. He was appointed to the newly created Asian Carp Advisory Commission. He is also a member of the state board for the Tennessee Suicide Network.
Along with UT Martin, Commissioner Belew is a graduate of Tennessee Law Enforcement Academy, Trooper THP School, and the FBI National Academy #244.
He has two lovely daughters Ashley and Amanda.
District 8: Lake, Dyer, Obion, Crockett, Gibson, Weakley, Madison, Chester
70 Ashport Road
Humboldt, TN 38343
Cell: 731-616-9228
brad.d.box@tn.gov
Commissioner Box has distinguished himself through a long and productive career as a lawyer and litigator and has tried numerous cases in state and federal court. He has represented many well-known companies, business leaders, celebrities, and professional athletes.
Commissioner Box serves on the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees; on the Board, he serves on the audit committee, as chair of the general counsel search committee, and as a member of the UT Research Foundation Board.
District 9: Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Lauderdale, McNairy, Shelby, and Tipton
2355 Duntreath Road
Germantown, TN 38139
901-853-7330
hank.wright@tn.gov
Dr. Wright serves as a veterinarian in Collierville in Shelby County. He grew up on a farm and lives on one today with his family. He enjoys many activities including beekeeping, vegetable gardening, bluebird conservation and nesting, veterinary medicine, and spending time with his family.
He attended the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Serving an organization such as the TWRA gives me the opportunity to give back to a cause that is dear to me,” Dr. Wright said. “Our objectives are in complete alignment which is to conserve and preserve Tennessee’s wildlife so that current and future generations can enjoy hunting, fishing, and viewing.”
Dr. Wright and wife, Paige, have seven children; Allie, Gardner, Julianne, Carly, John David, Madeline, and Janie.
Statewide
McGinnis Oil Company
98 Main Street
Collierville, TN 38017-2616
901-828-7500
bill.cox@tn.gov
Commissioner Cox is a partner in McGinnis Oil Company, Town Square Partners, and Willwright Properties in Collierville. He previously served on the Commission from 2001-07 and again from 2012-19. He was chairman in 2005. Previously, he was the District 9 representative and will be serving as a statewide appointment.
He is involved in various civic and community services in the Collierville area. He is a member of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation Advisory Board, Collierville Historic District Commission, and Main Street Collierville Merchants Association. Commissioner Cox is also a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Delta Waterfowl, National Wild Turkey Association, and National Rifle Association.
Commissioner Cox’s hobbies are hunting, fishing, gardening, and four grandchildren. He and his wife, Cindy, have three children; William, Carrington, and Allison.
District: Statewide
P. O. Box 58804
Nashville TN 37205
(615) 500-2447
Chip.Saltsman@tn.gov
John “Chip” Saltsman was named to serve on the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission in July 2022.
A well-known national political strategist, Commissioner Saltsman has worked primarily in his home state. He has worked as a consultant on several national and state campaigns. He also served as Senior Political Advisor to former Senior Senate Majority Advisor Bill Frist at VOLPAC, a political action committee chaired by the senator. He began his career on Gov. Don Sunquist’s staff and later served as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party for a time.
“Growing up, hunting and fishing in the southeast, I never imagined having the opportunity to serve on the commission,” Commissioner Saltsman said. “I am looking forward to working with the great team at the TWRA to improve and continue the great hunting and fishing tradition for Tennessee.”
Commissioner Saltsman resides in his hometown of Nashville with Katie and daughter Abigal. He attended Christian Brothers University in Memphis, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s in business administration degrees. He enjoys hunting and fishing.
Statewide
73 Doctor Strachn Lane
Bogota, TN 38007
731-676-9788
wally.childress@tn.gov
Commissioner Childress resides on his family farm in the Dyer County Community of Bogota. He enjoys waterfowl, dove, turkey, and deer hunting, and fishing.
Commissioner Childress is involved in several community-related activities. He is a member of the Bogota Volunteer Fire Department, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative Board member, Forked Deer Connect Board member, Dyer County NRCS board member, Tennessee Farm Bureau, and Ducks Unlimited.
“Not only am I looking forward to serving the state in this capacity, I am also looking forward to meeting the people of this state and working hard to make the outdoor experiences in Tennessee the best they can be,” he said. He is also looking forward to the wildlife enhancement and enforcement side.
Commissioner Childress graduated from Dyer County High School and attended Dyersburg State Community College. He and his wife, Tracy, have a daughter (Olivia) and a son (Trey).
Dept. of Environment & Conservation
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave.
Nashville, TN 37243
Business: 615-532-0106
Fax: 615-532-0120
david.salyers@tn.gov
TN Dept. of Agricultural
Ellington Agricultural Center
P.O. Box 40627
Nashville, TN 37204
Business: 615-837-5202
Fax: 615-837-5333
charles.hatcher@tn.gov
State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243
Business: 615-741-2001