Ricky Shelton returns to Connecting Cookeville to update the citizenry on the latest and greatest happenings in our community. From the impressive job creation numbers to cool quality of life events, there’s a lot to be proud of in our town. Shelton also opens up about why he loves serving his hometown and what he sees is in store for this area in the not too distant future.

Hannah Harris Davis was born and raised in Cookeville and is a TTU grad. She enjoyed working as a publicist in Music City, but decided to put down roots back in the Upper Cumberland. As the Marketing and Public Relations Specialist at Cookeville Regional, Hannah has the privilege of promoting the services and accolades of our local hospital. In this podcast, Hannah shares some of the impressive highlights of CRMC and the role the hospital plays in our community. Hannah also has three small children and a husband in ministry, so we wanted to talk to her about balancing a busy career and a growing family. She encourages other mommas to do what is right for their family, maintain a positive attitude, celebrate each other’s successes, and “just do it”.

Steve Tiebout moved to Cookeville from West Tennessee to attend Tennessee Tech. He followed the call on his life for ministry and moved back to the Upper Cumberland after seminary to plant a church, which is now one of the largest congregations in the area, River Community Church of Cookeville. In this episode, Pastor Steve shares his heart for this community, the miracle story of the huge cross you see coming into town, and his own personal testimony. This podcast is full of encouragement about not giving up on your dreams, staying real in the midst of real life struggles, and the value of an abundance mentality. Be sure to listen to Steve's passionate story about reaching and serving our community.

Jason McCormick moved to Cookeville in Junior High when his mother took a position with Averitt Express. If you talk to him for more than ten seconds, you can immediately sense that he’s never met a stranger. McCormick got his start in the corporate world at Averitt as well, learning valuable traits that serve him well today. A entrepreneur at heart, McCormick jumped at the chance when the opportunity presented itself to acquire R-Cubed. In this episode, Jason shares with us about practical sustainable living, new technology that is rocking his market, the importance of work/life balance, and the school of trial and error for a business owner. Jason has an infectious passion to inspire others and make our world a better place in more ways than one.

A large Catholic family from the midwest, the Sergios moved to the Upper Cumberland when Don and Dave were kids. Growing up with parents that owned their own construction business, the guys learned the merit and muscle needed to be your own boss. A mutual love for beer grew into a hobby of home brewing for the Sergio brothers. As others would partake in their concoctions, that love was spread – first to family and friends, and now all across the state of Tennessee. In this unorthodox podcast, Don and Dave share their entrepreneurial journey of navigating legal red tape and overcoming doubters to have the incredible business that they have today. This episode is full of the levity and joy that the Sergio brothers, and their beer, is known for (mild language included). Cheers!!

Born and raised by small business owners in Cookeville, Jennifer Wilkerson has a rich history of hard work and community development. Jennifer began her career in public service as a Communications Officer for the Cookeville Police Department. She eventually took a position with the District Attorney’s office and saw firsthand the need for a local Child Advocacy Center to help child victims of severe abuse. Now open for 15 years, the Child Advocacy Center serves almost 1000 children a year. In this episode, Jennifer shares the sobering reality of abuse in the 13th Judicial District, how the CAC intervenes on behalf of innocent children, the incredible work the center is doing in the community, and how the next chapter in her life has led her to run for public office.

Jaden Flynn moved to Cookeville as a toddler and started his entrepreneurial journey shortly thereafter. A natural salesman and born leader, Jaden thrives in a entrepreneur's environment. He started his meal prep business, The Iron Kitchen, in his mother's house, and is now in his second commercial kitchen. As a millennial business owner, he credits his business success to social media exposure and the daily grind. In this podcast, he shares some of his tips for marketing, the value of learning how to fail, and how he pushed through the first year. This episode is full of raw and vulnerable truth about the trenches of business ownership and the value of being your authentic self.

Michael McDearman first discovered his love for cooking when the sweet smell of a grilled steak captured his attention while delivering newspapers as a young boy in Cookeville. Like many of us in the South, Michael was raised around good cooks and great food. That developed into a passion that opened doors for him to pursue a career in the food industry. After travelling all over the world, fit Griller Michael McDearman returned home to his roots to share his love of cooking with his local community. In this episode, he shares what he enjoys about teaching all things food, his favorite failure, the joys of doing what you love ("follow your love, and the money will come"), and Cookeville connections that have been woven through his adventures around the world.

The vision for Rising Above Ministries was birthed through Jeff and  Becky Davidson’s experiences raising their son, Jon Alex, with profound special needs. When Jeff passed away in 2017, Becky not only became a widow and a single mother, she also became an author, speaker, and the leader of the couple's ministry. In this episode, Becky talks about how "typical" families can embrace their friends and loved ones with a special needs child, the way Jeff's legacy lives on, the role that Rising Above plays in our community, and how she refuses to allow labels to define her in this next stage of her life. This podcast is full of inspiration for anyone experiencing transition and change, especially if that is as a result of circumstances outside of your control.

Born and raised in Cookeville, Melinda Keifer has a rich heritage of community service in the Upper Cumberland. She is on the front lines of development at the city of Cookeville with her job, but she has lived it her whole life as business owner, farm girl, WCTE's "Live Green Tennessee" host, former City Scape director, and long time employee in government service. In this episode, Melinda shares about how she has seen Cookeville change, the challenges that come with economic and community development, and she encourages us to engage our interest, get involved in the process, and connect the dots in our community. This podcast is a manifesto for community development, enrichment, and sustainable growth and is a must listen for any curious and committed Cookevillian.