07/27/2026
Meet Tommy! Tommy grew up in the Bybee community of Cocke County and attended Centerview Elementary School. He graduated from Cocke County High School and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a major in accounting, from the University of Tennessee.
His wife, Linda, is a retired teacher who taught elementary students for 30 plus years. Their children are McKinley Bible, who works for JCCUD and Jill Jones, a teacher in Virginia. Their son-in-law, Ricky Jones, is an Emergency Room doctor.
Tommy worked in the Utility industry for 46 years, serving for 31 years as General Manager of Jefferson Cocke Utility District; a position he held until his retirement in 2023
Tommy served on the American Public Gas Association Board (APGA) of Directors for 12 years and on the Tennessee Gas Association (TGA) Board of Directors for over 25 years, chairing several committees and serving as President of TGA in 2003-2004.
Tommy received the TAUD award for Financial and Operating Excellence in 1996.
He also received the American Public Gas Associations (APGA) Personal Achievement award; this award is given to individuals who have made substantial contributions toward the goals of APGA and the natural gas industry, and in 2023 he received the J Hardie Johnston award from APGA, recognizing at least 25 years of service in the natural gas industry and having been active as an APGA public gas system member representative. He also accepted, for the utility, the Public Gas System Achievement Award and the Safety Management Excellence and National Safety Awards.
He was awarded the TGA Silver Flame award at the TGA annual conference in 2009. The Silver Flame award is TGA’s most prestigious award recognizing outstanding service by association members to the state gas industry as well as reflecting the recipient’s exemplary support and dedication to the association and the natural gas industry.
Mr. Bible was a member of the East Tennessee Customer Group Board of Directors from 1995 until his retirement in 2023, serving as chairmen of the group for several years
Bible was a founding member of the United Utilities Group (UUG), serving as treasurer from 1995 until 2023. The group was organized in 1995 to purchase and deliver natural gas and manage pipeline capacity for their customers.
In addition, Tommy is past president of the Newport Cocke County Partnership, Newport Cocke County Economic Commission, Cocke County Election Commission and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce.
He was a member of the Newport Kiwanis Club for 35 years, earning the Legion of Honor award in 2008 and serving as President in 1995.
Bible served on the Newport Medical Center Tennova Advisory Board from 1997 until his retirement from the Board in January 2024, serving as chairman since 2020.
He is currently treasurer of the Cocke County Education Foundation, having served on this Board since 2001. In 1998, Tommy was appointed to serve on the Newport Federal Bank Board and is currently serving as chairman.
Tommy and Linda are members of Swannsylvania Baptist Church. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, UT Sports, fishing and an occasional round of golf.
