Union City is the principal city of the Union City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Obion County and Fulton County, Kentucky.
Union City's Current Industries
Union City, Tennessee was once an industrial powerhouse. Over the years many companies have located manufacturing/processing plants to the city. Currently, the city has several vital companies that operate plants and contribute to the industry in Union City.
Goodyear LogoThe most notable company, still operating a plant in the city, would be the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. This plant is still considered the largest employer in Union City as well as in Obion County. The Goodyear plant opened its doors in 1969 and has been producing tires ever since. In the plant, workers produce tires for passenger and light-truck tires. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber plant in Union City is the ONLY plant that is licensed to produce tires for the Chevrolet Corvette. While production has been steady at the Union City Plant, most North American Goodyear Plants have slowed production during the recent years due to outsourcing of U.S. jobs overseas.
Tyson Foods TruckAnother main company currently operating in Union City is Tyson Foods. Tyson Foods—Obion County Complex operates in multiple locations around Obion County. These facilities comprise the Union City Processing Plant, Hatchery, and Wastewater Plant. Tyson Foods also operates a rather large feedmill just inside the city limits of South Fulton, Tennessee. Tyson Foods is the second largest industry-type employer in Union City.
Kohler LogoThe Kohler Company, best known for producing various plumbing products, also operates a plant in Union City's Industrial Park. It is the third largest industry in the city. At the plant, workers produce shower doors.
Griffin Industries, formerly locally owned Duncan Tankage Corporation, operates a facility just outside the city limits of Union City. Griffin Industries acquired the Duncan Tankage Corporation in 1988. The plant is now considered to be a state of the art facility by many.
Lennox LogoUnion City is also home to a fireplace production plant located on Reelfoot Avenue. They produce fireplaces and fireplace products. The plant has been sold a number of times and undergone multiple name changes. The current name is Lennox Hearth Products. The name prior was Superior Fireplace. It was recently announced that Lennox is planning to expanding its Union City plant. Union City Council members have approved an agreement which will help Lennox expand its facilities. City manager, Don Thornton, informed the council that six acres behind Lennox and property for right-of-way from there to Highway 45 can be acquired from Pate Properties East if the city will expand Home and Nelson streets and provide water, sewer, curbs and gutters at the city’s expense. Thornton said the business expansion will bring 188 jobs over the next five years to Union City at an investment of $15 million to the community.
Jiffy Steamer LogoJiffy Steamer Company, LLC is the world's largest manufacturer of garment steamers and is also headquartered in Union City. Dating since 1940, Jiffy Steamer serves the commercial, residential and travel industries with its innovative steamers used to remove wrinkles from any type of fabric.
The above mentioned are just a few of Union City's major employers.
Future Industries
It was announced by the Kirkland Foundation that Discovery Parks of America is coming to Union City. It's address is 830 North Everett Boulevard. There will be a world class museum (made of steel and glass, about 12 stories high), an aquarium, a convention center, and a green space, complete with walking trails and botanical gardens. Construction begins Summer 2008, and is expected to be complete by Spring of 2010.
Notable residents
John S. TannerJohn S. Tanner-U.S. Congressman, born in Halls, Tennessee, but grew up in Union City,
John S. Tanner (born September 22, 1944) is an American politician from the state of Tennessee. He represents the state's Eighth Congressional District in the House of Representatives (map), based in northwest Tennessee.
Tanner was born in Halls, Tennessee, and grew up in Union City, Tennessee. Following graduation from the University of Tennessee, he served in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1972. He was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1976, replacing Larry Bates, who mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge against Congressman Ed Jones. When Jones retired in 1988, Tanner won the Democratic nomination for the seat and handily defeated Republican nominee Ed Bryant, who went on to represent the neighboring 7th District from 1995 to 2003.
Tanner was reelected in 1990 with no major-party opposition, a feat he repeated in 1992. In 1998, he was completely unopposed. He handily defeated Republican opponents in 1994 (the only time besides his initial election that he faced a serious or well-funded Republican), 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2004. His 2004 opponent, James L. Hart, was an avowed eugenicist and, although running as a Republican, was disavowed by the state Republican Party.
As a Congressman, Tanner has sponsored a bill to repeal the inheritance tax (which was vetoed by President Clinton) and he is in favor of a balanced budget. It is reported that Tanner could have been appointed to the United States Senate by governor of Tennessee Ned McWherter in 1992 to replace Al Gore but he declined the offer, and Harlan Mathews was appointed as a caretaker instead. Tanner became nationally known briefly when it was alleged that President Clinton was on the telephone with him in 1995 during one of Clinton's sexual encounters with Monica Lewinsky. Tanner was a founder of the Blue Dog Democrats and has denied rumors that he might switch parties, and has an earned reputation as a moderate.
Tanner is strongly in favor of balancing the budget and paying down the national debt, and has been a strong opponent of the fiscal policies of President George W. Bush, voting against virtually all tax cuts passed since his taking office. Tanner was one of the few Democrats in the House to vote in favor of CAFTA and has long distanced himself from the majority of his party on issues such as bankruptcy law and lawsuit reform. He voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment, the ban on "partial-birth" abortions, limiting death penalty appeals, and has voted against most gun control measures. On other issues he is more liberal: he often votes with his party on separation of church and states issues, and has consistently voted against the Flag Desecration Amendment. Tanner voted with the majority of his party to expand stem cell research and against renewing the controversial portions of the Patriot Act. He also supports affirmative action and public education. Tanner was firmly opposed to Bush's attempt to reform Social Security.
Tanner received much of his knowledge of politics as a youth from his father E.B. "Buzz" Tanner who was successful in the finiancial and insurance business. He became a member of a highly political and infuential law firm out of law school in his home town community and soon ran for office as a state legislator in the House of Representatives. He was also a relative of then House Speaker Ned McWherter, who later was elected governor twice and was an extremely powerful political force in the state, having friends on both sides of the political isle.
In 2004, Congressman Tanner made a brief but unintended cameo appearance alongside Michael Moore in Fahrenheit 9/11, where Moore was trying to get Congressmen to have their children enlist in the Military to go to Iraq.
He recently drafted a bill that would require special bipartisan commissions rather than state legislatures to redraw congressional districts when necessary due to U.S. Census count changes. It is generally believed that this bill is a response to Republican-inspired mid-decade redistricting in Texas and recent similar efforts in Colorado and Georgia.
After both his district and state chose the former first lady, Congressman Tanner endorsed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign in April 2008.
Koko WareKoko B. Ware-Professional wrestler,
Koko B. Ware (born James Ware on June 20, 1957) is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1979. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. Ware came to the ring with his macaw, Frankie, flapping his arms like a bird before and after his matches while dancing.
Before joining the WWF Ware worked as a part of several successful tag teams, first with Bobby Eaton in Memphis and then later on with Norvell Austin as one half of the The P.Y.T. Express in several promotions.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 229 lbs
DOB: 6/20
Hometown: Union City, Tennessee
Other Names: Stagger Lee(NWA Mid-America), Sweet Brown Sugar(NWA Mid-America), Skip Young, "Black Blue Blazer"(WWF), "The Birdman"(WWF)
Wrestler Since: 1978
Finishing Maneuver: The Ghostbuster/Birdbuster
Title Summary:
NWA Mid-America Television Champion (1980)
AWA Southern Tag-Team Champion w/ Stan Lane (9/81 - 11/16/81)
AWA Southern Tag-Team Champion(2) w/ Bobby Eaton (3/14/82 - 4/12/82)
AWA Southern Tag-Team Champion(3) w/ Bobby Eaton (8/16/82 - 8/30/82)
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion (2/25/83 - 2/28/83)
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion(2) (3/07/83 - 7/04/83)
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion(3) (8/22/83 - 9/10/83)
AWA Southern Tag-Team Champion(4) w/ Dutch Mantell (9/83 - 10/03/83)
AWA Southern Tag-Team Champion(5) w/ Norvell Austin (2/06/84 - 2/14/84)
NWA Florida United States Tag-Team Champion w/ Norvell Austin (2/26/85 - 3/05/85)
AWA Southern Tag-Team Champion(6) w/ Norvell Austin (4/15/85 - 6/85)
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion(4) (8/12/85 - 8/85)
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion(5) (9/85 - 10/07/85)
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion(6) (11/16/85 - 1/21/86)
USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion (2/24/92 - 3/16/92)
USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion(2) (12/07/92 - 12/14/92)
USWA World Tag-Team Champion w/ Rex Hargrove (11/01/93 - 11/08/93)
PWI Achievement Awards: (1 win, 0 1st RUs, 0 2nd RUs, 1 3rd RU)
1979 Rookie of the Year
1990 Match of the Year, 3rd Runner-Up (Royal Rumble)
Derrick TurnbowDerrick Turnbow- Milwaukee Brewers pitcher,
Thomas Derrick Turnbow (born January 25, 1978 in Union City, Tennessee, USA) is a right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
Early career
Turnbow played baseball at Franklin High School in Franklin, Tennessee, where he compiled a 30-4 record over four years. In his senior year, he posted a Franklin High single-season best 0.77 ERA. The school retired Turnbow's number (20) in 2001, and he is currently the only baseball player to have been awarded that honor. He was drafted in 1997 by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 5th round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He was then acquired by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 1999rule 5 draft. In October 2003, Turnbow became the first major league player to test positive for a banned steroid.[1] The positive test came during tryouts for USA Baseball's Olympic qualifying team. He did not face sanctions from Major League Baseball, because they did not begin testing for or penalizing steroid use until the 2004 season. He was banned for two years from international competition.
Derrick Turnbow - May 2008 Nashville Sounds
