COOKEVILLE – Cookeville Public Works Director Greg Brown has announced his retirement effective May 6, 2022. He has been employed by the city for over 23 years.
Brown began his city career in 1998 as a civil engineer with the Public Works Department and was promoted to the director position in 2000.
In making the announcement, Brown said, “My career at the city has been very rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to see many progressive changes in the Public Works Department, including the Storm Water Program, and numerous large projects come to fruition from economic development and the Highlands Business Park to local streetscapes and street improvements, as well as consolidating all of Public Works to one location with the construction of the Public Works facility. I am proud of the work that has been accomplished and the staff that has worked diligently with me to see these improvements come to fruition.”
Brown added, “While I value my time with the City of Cookeville, I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and on the farm.”
Greg Brown and wife, Phyllis have two daughters, Jenny Wilcox and Kelly Sullivan, and four grandchildren.
At Brown’s retirement announcement City Manager James Mills commented, “I appreciate all Greg has done for our city. As I’ve said before, replacing a department director is a difficult process. Greg has an extensive knowledge of the city projects. He has truly been an asset for us. You hate to lose a staff member with this much tenure, but his retirement is well deserved. I wish him all the best and thank him for a job well done.”
Mills added, “Upon Greg Brown’s retirement, I’m pleased to announce that Blake Mayo, Civil Engineer II, has accepted the position of director designee. Blake has worked alongside Greg and the Public Works staff since 2017. When Blake joined the city’s employ, he brought experience from his time in the field with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. I look forward to working with Blake and am confident he will make a seamless transition to director and will lead the department efficiently and effectively.”
Mayo is a Hendersonville native. He is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University with a degree in civil engineering. He has been a licensed professional engineer in the state of Tennessee since 2011. He has lived in the Cookeville area since 1995 and enjoys playing guitar, live music and experiencing the outdoors with his family.
