Mayor Glenn Jacobs Featured on Signature Required with Spencer and Carli Patton

Knox County Mayor talks about building East Tennessee and the power of state partnership

NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Signature Required, hosted by Spencer and Carli Patton, released a new interview today with Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs focused on how state and local governments can align to strengthen East Tennessee’s economic and community future.

In the episode, Jacobs discusses the growing momentum behind East Tennessee’s workforce and innovation corridor and highlights how practical, community-based leadership can build opportunity from the ground up. “Local government is actually where the rubber meets the road,” Jacobs says. “When people think of governmental services, we’re the ones that provide those.”

Jacobs outlines three cornerstone priorities shaping Knox County’s future:

Workforce Development:
Through the START Center (the Skilled Trades Academy & Regional Training Center), Knox County is partnering with trade associations to train both working adults and high school students in high-demand fields like plumbing, electrical, and carpentry. Jacobs explains:

“Right now for every five skilled trades people that are leaving the workforce, there's only one person there qualified to take their place. So there's tremendous opportunity in the skilled trades. And you think about it—if you're a young person and you go through our START Center and you get your journeyman's accreditation and everything, you know, you're a plumber, you're making $75,000 a year maybe with no student debt.”

Veteran Support:
Knox County is moving forward with a new tiny-home village for homeless veterans on county-owned land. Jacobs says the project is being built in partnership with local schools and private industry—including donated building materials from D.R. Horton—and that “it’s actually our high school students that are going to be building the homes.” He describes it as a project that pairs career and technical education with “taking care of our veterans,” while also helping address homelessness.

State and Regional Alignment:
Jacobs underscores how East Tennessee’s assets — from the University of Tennessee to Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the Tennessee Valley Authority — are strongest when leaders work together instead of competing. “What's good for East Tennessee is good for Knox County. What's good for Knox County is good for East Tennessee,” he says.

Reflecting on the conversation, host Spencer Patton said:
“East Tennessee is a place where leadership still feels personal. Mayor Jacobs has taken that to heart—building programs that link education, housing, and recovery to opportunity. It’s a roadmap for how state and local collaboration can create real change.”

In addition to his role as county mayor, Jacobs recently accepted a key position as campaign treasurer for U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s gubernatorial campaign, further signaling East Tennessee’s growing influence in shaping the state’s political and economic direction.

About Mayor Glenn Jacobs
Glenn Jacobs is the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. Before public service, he spent 25 years with WWE and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. A longtime East Tennessean, Jacobs prioritizes workforce development, veteran support, recovery partnerships, fiscal discipline, and small business growth. He currently serves as campaign treasurer for Marsha Blackburn’s 2026 gubernatorial campaign.

About Spencer and Carli Patton
Spencer Patton is a Tennessee-based entrepreneur who grew his businesses from $0 to over $100 million in less than ten years. He and his wife, Carli, co-founded the Patton Foundation and co-host the Signature Required podcast.

About Signature Required
Signature Required spotlights Tennessee trailblazers—entrepreneurs, policymakers, educators, and community leaders—who embody the state’s entrepreneurial spirit. Hosted by Spencer and Carli Patton, the show invites listeners to think deeply about leadership, community, and impact. Learn more at www.spencerpatton.com/podcast

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Kylie Larson, Chief Brand Officer, Patton Creative Group, info@pattoncreativegroup.com

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Mayor Glenn Jacobs on Leading Knox County

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