Mike Ragsdale is a native of Cleveland, Tennessee, and graduated from Cleveland High School. The first in his family to attend college, he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee before going on to complete a master's degree in education from Auburn University. In 1981, Ragsdale completed a doctorate in education at UT. While an undergraduate at UT, he received the Torchbearer award, the highest award the University gives to students.
Ragsdale became Director of Admissions and Records for Pellissippi State Technical Community College (then State Technical Institute at Knoxville) in 1979. In that position, he supervised and directed the admissions program, which resulted in an enrollment growth of 73 percent. He was promoted to Dean of Administrative Affairs in 1981, taking responsibility for planning related to the college's $23 million new campus and serving as liaison with the State Board of Regents. He held that position for five years.
In 1987, Ragsdale joined with Barber & McMurry, a Knoxville architecture firm that was founded in 1915, serving as partner and as Vice President for the firm for over 16 years.
In 1990, Ragsdale was elected to serve as Knox County Commissioner in the Fifth Commission District, and he served two terms.
In 2002, Ragsdale was elected to serve as Knox County Mayor. He ran unopposed for the seat in both the Republican Primary and General election, which was unprecedented in Knox County election history. He took office on August 30, 2002. He ran for reelection in May of 2006 and won the election overwhelmingly against a two-term Knoxville City Councilman.
Mayor Ragsdale has been active in a wide variety of civic and community activities throughout his career. He is a past president of the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville, American Red Cross, Junior Achievement, East Tennessee Discovery Center and the Optimist Club of Knoxville. He served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Knoxville Sports Corporation, Knox Area Chamber Partnership, and was Chairman of the Knox County Tourist Commission. Mayor Ragsdale is also a 1989 graduate of Leadership Knoxville.
He currently serves as the Vice Chairman for EdSouth, one of the country's largest student loan corporations. Mayor Ragsdale is one of two Tennesseans who serve on the Board of the American County Executives/Mayors Association. He is the immediate past President of the Tennessee Association of County Mayors.
During his tenure as Mayor, he has received the Vision Award from Technology 20/20. He also received the prestigious "Courthouse Award" from the National Association of Counties. Only three of these are awarded annually for excellence in government operations. Committed to veterans services, Mayor Ragsdale was given the Outstanding Service Award from the Disabled American Veterans of East Tennessee and the "Military Order of the Purple Heart." He was selected as Grand Marshall for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Parade and the Veteran's Day Parade.
Mayor Ragsdale lives in west Knox County with his wife, Claudia. His son David, who is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, now resides in New York City. The Mayor and his family are members of First Farragut United Methodist Church.
For more information on Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, please visit his page on the Knox County Government website, available here.
