Tennessee Governor Bredesen Will Address U of M Commencement May 1
For release: April 15, 2004
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen will address graduates at the University of Memphis' spring commencement Saturday, May 1. Ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. at The Pyramid.

Bredesen became the state's 48th governor in 2003, bringing to Capitol Hill a reputation for applying business savvy to governmental management. During his first year in office he has worked to put Tennessee on a path toward sound financial footing through passage of a responsible balanced budget.

The governor has increased funding for public education and put a sharp focus on economic development and job creation. He is concentrating on how best to manage state revenues and taxpayer dollars, including substantial reforms to TennCare. He has signed three executive orders creating tough ethics rules for Tennessee's executive branch and opened the doors to the state's budget hearings.

Bredesen served as mayor of Nashville from 1991 to 1999. During that time, Nashville saw record economic growth. His administration brought nearly a half billion new dollars into the local schools, built a new state-of-the-art library system, and reduced the city's crime rate.

Before entering politics, Bredesen founded HealthAmerica Corporation, a healthcare management company which grew to more than 6,000 employees and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. He sold the company in 1986.

Bredesen earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Harvard University.

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