Promotions for Pence, Sheffield to begin Town’s new fiscal year
With Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s approval of the Town of Farragut budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2025, two Town staff members recently were promoted as part of a new leadership structure for the staff.
Michelle Pence, the Town’s previous Human Resources director, was promoted to director of Administrative Services.
“I’m honored to step into the role of director of Administrative Services for the Town of Farragut,” Pence said. “Passionate about serving our community, I remain dedicated to providing exceptional service to both our staff and community with integrity, adaptability and a friendly approach.”
Her responsibilities include the following departments: Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology and Customer Service.
Chris Sheffield, the Town’s previous operations manager, was promoted to director of Public Services. His responsibilities are Community Development, Engineering, Parks and Recreation and Public Works.
“Our Community Development, Engineering, Parks and Recreation and Public Works teams are at the heart of what makes Farragut such a beautiful, close-knit place to live,” Sheffield said. “I’m truly excited — and grateful — for the chance to work alongside and lead such a dedicated and talented group of people.”
“The purpose of the new leadership structure is to streamline departmental reporting,” Town administrator David Smoak said. “The director of Administrative Services and the director of Public Services will report directly to Town administrator.
“Michelle and Chris already (had) important management roles with the Town and are highly effective leaders,” Smoak added. “This restructuring will facilitate improved efficiency within the departments, help align our strategic goals with our resources, allow for greater adaptability and provide better focus on our customer service initiatives.”
The FY 2026 budget was approved on second reading at the June 26 Board meeting; however, the Board began setting priorities for FY 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026) in January.
Workshops were held in March and April to finalize budget priorities before a draft version of the budget was presented to the board in early May.
During the presentations, Smoak explained the change in the leadership structure.
“Our strategic plan starts with a vision …” Smoak said during a June 12 meeting before the Board acted on the budget on first reading. “To get that accomplished, we have missions and values of what we value in our team as we get the job done and service to the Town done as well.”
