Stuart C. McWhorter has served as TNECD commissioner since July 2022. During his tenure, TNECD has nearly 160 projects, which represent more than 21,700 job commitments and $10.9 billion in capital investment. Of those projects, more than 28 percent were the result of foreign direct investment.

McWhorter has a diverse background in entrepreneurship, corporate finance and strategic planning. He served as co-founder and chairman of Clayton Associates with over 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing.

McWhorter stepped away from Clayton Associates in 2019 to join Governor Lee’s administration as commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration. He led the drafting of two fiscal year state budgets, co-chaired the Governor’s Healthcare Modernization Task Force and was appointed director of the Tennessee Unified Command Group to coordinate the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, McWhorter previously served as the CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and chairman of the Board of Directors of Nashville-based FirstBank Financial Corporation (NYSE: FBK).

He received his Master of Health Administration from The University of Alabama-Birmingham and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Clemson University.

McWhorter resides in Nashville with his wife, Leigh Anne, and their five children.