Greeter announces candidacy
‘I’ve always been more of a giver. I’ve always tried to help people,” Greeter said. ‘I’ve enjoyed being involved with politics all my life.’
Greeter started Greeter Building Center, Inc. and Greeter Ready Mix Co. in 1964 and presided over both businesses until he retired in 2007. He was married 44 years ago in Manchester and afterward moved to Tracy City to start his businesses. Greeter later resided in Sewanee. Eight years ago, he returned to Manchester.
When Greeter received the 2004 Dealer of the Year award from the Southern Building Material Association, he was introduced as having met George H.W. Bush at a reception in Sewanee, met with Vice President Dick Cheney in Nashville, toured the White House with Jimmy Carter, and met with Bill and Hillary Clinton while in Nashville ‘ indicating his ability to work with people on both sides of the aisle to get things done.
Expanding pre-K and improving education are among Greeter’s priorities. Greeter’s mother was an elementary school teacher (30 plus years), having taught him in sixth grade.
‘I’ve been a member of the Grundy County School Board (for six years), and I’m very interested in pre-K classes,’ Greeter said. ‘Studies have shown pre-K programs decrease the number of children who will need to be placed in special-needs classrooms and increase high school graduation rates.’
Greeter is very involved with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation assisting with the introduction of both programs to Coffee and Grundy counties.
Greeter is an executive committee member of the Tennessee Workforce and Development Board where he sees first-hand the importance of improving high school and college graduation rates and recruiting high-tech jobs.
‘The difference between a high school education and a college degree, as far as salary is concerned is about $500,000,’ he said.
Greeter supports expanding home health care beyond the state’s pilot programs of the past to give Tennesseans more options for long-term care.
‘Fortunately, my parents didn’t have to go into a nursing home. I’d rather stay at home,’ he said.
Like many Tennesseans, Greeter is also concerned about illegal immigration.
‘My great-grandparents came to America from Switzerland. I have no problem with foreigners being American citizens, but I feel they need to go through the steps and learn English and a few other things,’ he said. ‘I’m against amnesty.’
Greeter is a member of the Elk River Public Utilities District board, Arnold Engineering Community Council, Coffee County Industrial Board, UTSI Support Council, Coffee County UT Alumni Association, Coffee County Farm Bureau, American Legion Post 78 in Manchester, and Manchester, Tullahoma, and McMinnville/Warren County chambers of commerce.