Retired Sonoco Regional Manager Eddie Lennon has been named Interim President of the Cocke County Partnership.
The Partnership's executive board of directors selected Lennon, who began his work on Friday, May 1.
Lennon will serve in this position while the Partnership's board of directors continue their search for a new President.
Lennon came to Newport in 1976 as resident manager of Sonoco and remained here until 1989, when he was promoted to a position with Sonoco in Hartsville, South Carolina.
Upon being promoted to a regional manager's position with the company in 1993, Lennon and his family opted to return to Newport. He retired from Sonoco in 1998.
"For some time now, I've had the desire to get more involved in the community," said Lennon on Friday, "and when this opportunity arose, I was intrigued. I visited with the staff of the EDC, Chamber of Commerce, and Tourism offices and talked with the staff before I accepted the job."
While Lennon has no previous experience in recruiting industries or working with government agencies, he feels his managerial background will provide him the skills he needs for the interim position.
"I see my job as communications, facilitating things, and just having another person in the group to help out, especially if someone is not there. The staff is tiny and the absence of just one person makes a tremendous difference," he said.
"I will be working to keep things going as smoothly as possible," he continued, "so that when a new President is hired the transition can be smooth."
"I'm excited about the job," he added. "It's something new."
Lennon will be working about 30 hours per week. "Basically it will be a four-day week," he said of his flexible schedule.
Lennon and his wife Cathy have one daughter Deana. She and her husband Robert Evans are the parents of a son Charles, 7.
Lennon's first day on the job was somewhat short because of a previous commitment he had made to help with an upgrading project at Southside Baptist Church, where he and his wife are members.
In announcing Lennon's selection, Tommy Bible, chairman of the Partnership's Executive Board of Directors, said, "The Executive Board of the Cocke County Partnership is pleased to announce that Mr. Eddie Lennon will serve as Interim President effective May 1 until the search for a new President is completed. Mr. Lennon's career experience has been in industrial production management and effectiveness consulting. Mr. Lennon's leadership will make a very positive difference in Newport and Cocke County. Please help us welcome Mr. Eddie Lennon as the Interim President of the Newport/Cocke County Partnership.