Union County Business and Professional Association named Sidney Jessee Jr. and Tammie Hill as Man and Woman of 2024 at the 34th Annual Banquet on Friday, November 1, 2024. Martin Shafer, Man of 2022, and Tonya Atkins, Woman of 2023, introduced the recipients. The banquet was held at First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Maynardville and was catered by Pete's Place.

Both honorees have businesses and are very involved in community service. Sidney Jessee Jr. is co-owner of Elite Hometown Inspections, LLC, and a Continuing Education Course Instructor for Realtors. He is a lifelong farmer and co-owner of Jessee Family Farms where they raise pigs, sweet corn and pumpkins. He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Class of 2008, with a B.S. Degree in Agriculture Science and a major concentration in Agricultural Business and Economics.

In his role on County Commission, serves as vice chair of the commission, vice chair of the Financial Management Committee, chairman of the Audit Committee, member of the Union County Library Board, Union County Jail Committee, the Ag Committee, and the Ethics Committee. He is president and chairman of the board of the Union County Opry as well as a founding member, along with Debra Keck and Danny Cooke.

He is extremely active in 4-H livestock programs and goes above and beyond to make sure the youth have not only the means to participate, but also learn valuable lifelong skills of responsibility, animal welfare, leadership, sportsmanship, communication and team work.

In his spare time, Sidney teaches guitar and banjo lessons. He also currently is chairman of the Union County Republican Party. He is a devoted husband to Melinda, father to Landon, Logan, and Leaton, and son of Sidney, Sr. and Brenda Jessee. A true man of faith, Sidney is a member, deacon, and Sunday School teacher of Luttrell Missionary Baptist Church.

Likewise, Tammie Hill is a woman of faith with a heart of gold and a sincere passion for Union County that lights up every room with her energy. She is a member of Maynardville Fellowship Church where she has taught Sunday school and worked with youth in Bible school. She has been on the board of Union County Business and Professional Association serving as both president and chairman of the board.

She recruits board members and community members to join this organization to better the Union County Community. Additionally, she has gone above the call of duty to organize the Annual UCBPA Golf Tournament for multiple years running. The tournament directly funds post-secondary educational scholarships to Union County graduates. She also stepped up without hesitation to provide decorations for the Annual Prayer Breakfast and the Annual Banquet.

She donates not only her time but also her money to the Union County community through multiple organized fundraiser. She sponsors the Heritage Festival Awards for the Annual Pie Baking Contest, a tradition paying homage to another of her passions, baking. She creates beautiful cakes for her family, friends and church to celebrate birthdays, weddings and graduations.

Tammie excels in her successful real estate career, Realty Executives, and has received the Executive Award multiple times for most sales in a given year. In 2022 she won the Diamond Sales Award for having the most sales in the region. She is a long time 4-H Alumni, with roots going back to 4-H in the 1930s when her grandmother showed a beef heifer in Claiborne County. She is currently a 4-H volunteer in Union County as coach of the Livestock Judging Team and the Swine Project.

She traveled and transported youth all over Tennessee and surrounding states to attend contests and camps. She has been a board member for the UC Farmers Market. She is a member of the UC Chamber of Commerce. She now serves on the UC Agriculture Committee. She is married to Shawn Hill, mother to a son, Colt (Amber) and a daughter, Kennedy, and grandmother to granddaughters Addison and Rileigh.

Part of the program was a live auction, which along with ticket sales, will give approximately $1,000 to UCBPA Charities, Inc. for the scholarship fund. In addition, Marvin Jeffreys and R. Larry Smith, both former presidents, presented a special tribute to Emily Link, one of the founders of UCBPA who recently passed. To close the evening, Mayor Jason Bailey installed the 2025 officers and board members: President Tammie Hill, Vice President R. Larry Smith, Secretary Charlene Kosegi, Treasurer Marilyn Toppins, and Directors Martin Shafer, John Hedley, Marcia Inklebarger, Tom Fitzharris, and Program Chairman Shannon DeWitt.

UCBPA meets the second Tuesday of each month with the exception of July and December usually at Maynardville City Hall. Membership is open to the public by contacting ucbpa.tn@gmail.com and requesting an application. The new membership year begins January 1, 2025.