Gary, Glenda, and Patrick Jacobs with long-time employee Brad Tidwell
and our late son Shawn.In July 1980, I embarked on a journey that shaped my life and affected the town of Centerville. I started my small business in a two-room shop just off the Square in the Twomey section. I poured my heart and soul into that little shop until 1984 when I demolished it and built the building that stands there today.
After 33 years in the automobile body shop business, I retired when I was elected Mayor of Centerville. In those 33 years, I learned how to manage and grow a business, ensure the overhead was paid, pay taxes, meet a payroll, stay abreast of the constant changes on the technical side, deal with insurance companies, and, most importantly, provide for my family.
Glenda and I are proud that our son Patrick now operates the business. His son Slade, the third generation Jacobs, has taken up the family mantle with an automobile service shop next to the body shop.
My commitment to seeing Centerville grow and prosper is deeply personal. This town is where I raised my family, where my children went to school, and where I now see my grandkids growing up. I have a profound love for this town and its people, and that love fuels my dedication to its growth and prosperity.
Since being first elected Mayor in 2013, I have strived to improve our town. I have worked to attract new investments, new jobs, and new opportunities for our people. I have worked alongside economic development folks from the State of Tennessee to use grants to grow our industrial base.
We have tackled challenging utility issues head-on. We have expanded our water line system, built a new water tank just south of town, upgraded our water treatment plant, and completely renovated and rebuilt our wastewater treatment plant.
We have started a comprehensive paving program for our streets, added a much-needed traffic signal at our most dangerous intersection, and worked with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to build industrial access roads to Tubular Steel and Farmer's Friend in our Shipps Bend Industrial Park.
We have turned the fortunes of our Centerville Municipal Airport and Centerville Municipal Golf Course from inevitable demise to solid and vibrant parts of our town.
Under my leadership, we have ushered in a new era of transparency in Centerville. We are the most open administration in the town's history, regularly updating you on Facebook about what's happening in your town. We also broadcast the regular meetings of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, bringing the inner workings of your town right into your home.
