Segrest sworn in as Farragut alderman
Following the oath, he took his seat with the rest of the Board, and he would later say, “I do want to thank you for the trust you put in me, and I will not let the people of Farragut down.
“I’m getting up to speed on some things — Boring Road, McFee Park — and I requested a report on the traffic. It’s like 800 pages long,” Segrest said. “If you want to know what I’m really, really interested in, it’s not sitting in traffic. I hope to bring some light to that.”
In a subsequent email, Alderman Joey Ruffalo stated, “I’ve known Lawrence for several years, and he has been unwavering in his values and his commitment to Farragut.
“He stands firm in his convictions while remaining willing to listen and have thoughtful conversations,” Ruffalo said. “I have no doubt that his approach and preparation will bring a valuable balance to the board. I look forward to working with him to protect taxpayers and preserve Farragut’s character.”
“During the interview process, I found Lawrence’s resume to be exemplary, having a sound education as a mechanical engineer and excellent work experience,” Vice Mayor Greg Wiberley stated in an email Tuesday, Oct. 27. “The fact that he runs a successful business along with his sister (empowers women!) that has adapted to changing business environments through creative retooling of his business model is impressive.
“On the very few times I have talked with him, he has displayed a thoughtful and even temperament,” Wiberley said. “I think he has all of the qualities to provide leadership to the Town and will be a great asset to the citizens of our community.”
“I have had the opportunity to get to know Lawrence over the past few years with my involvement in previous elections,” Mayor Alex Cain said. “Lawrence and I have volunteered for many different candidates. I have come to know him as a man of exceptional character, sound judgment and unwavering integrity.
“I believe Lawrence to be someone I can trust to make difficult decisions with honesty, thoughtfulness and the long-term interests of our community in mind,” he added of Segrest.
In his application letter, Segrest said, “I am deeply invested in the continued prosperity, fiscal health and smart management of our community.”
He is the co-founder and CEO/CFO of GreenLeaf Industries in nearby Lenoir City.
“I manage corporate [profit and loss], risk management and long-term financial planning,” Segrest stated in his letter to the Board. “That discipline was tested most recently in 2023, when post-pandemic labor shortages left our entry-level positions unfllled.
“Rather than absorb the loss, I led a complete retoollng of the company-automation production, outsourcing every function not core to our operations and rebuilding our processes to be streamlined and fault-tolerant,” he stated. “Delivering the same output with substantially fewer resources is a discipline I believe translates directly to the stewardship of public funds."
