In a press release Friday, Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) announced he appointed Michael Sullivan to serve as State Director for his U.S. Senate office. Sullivan will take over for Jim Henry, who is retiring.
According to the Tennessee Office of the Governor, during his political career, Jim Henry was appointed by Governor Haslam as deputy to the governor on June 30, 2015, after serving two years as commissioner for the Department of Children’s Services. Henry was previously the first commissioner of the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. A former mayor of Kingston, Tennessee, Henry also served 12 years as a state representative and six of those years as the minority leader.
“Michael Sullivan has been by my side since I began this journey to have the honor of representing my fellow Tennesseans in the U.S. Senate, and I am pleased to have him assume this critical role,” Senator Hagerty said in a statement. “Michael has done an exceptional job assembling a dedicated team in the state, and spending long hours on the phone and on the road visiting with citizens about my priorities and ways my office can assist them. As he begins his new position, which will be seamless as he has served as Jim Henry’s deputy since the day I took office, I am confident that Michael’s same dedication and work ethic will continue to serve the hardworking men and women of Tennessee well.”
Prior to joining Hagerty’s office as Deputy State Director in January, Sullivan served as Hagerty’s Campaign Manager during the 2020 election. Previously, Sullivan was the Executive Director of the Tennessee Republican Party, Hagerty’s press release notes.
Sullivan is a graduate of Hanover College and has worked in various capacities in government and politics since 2007. His experience includes work in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. He moved to Nashville in 2011, where he lives with his wife and three children.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Michael Sullivan” by Michael Sullivan. Photo “Bill Hagerty” by United States Senate. CC BY-SA 4.0. Background Photo “U.S. Senate” by U.S. Senate.
