Stuart C. McWhorter serves as the deputy governor and commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. In this role, he serves as a top advisor to Gov. Bill Lee and manages the day-to-day operations of TNECD. He spearheads the department’s efforts in recruiting new businesses to the state, supporting existing companies in their expansions, assisting in creating greater opportunity across rural Tennessee and helping the state’s small-business and entrepreneurial ecosystem grow, which in turn boosts Tennessee’s overall economic prosperity.
He was appointed as deputy governor on October 15, 2025, and has served as TNECD commissioner since July 2022. During his tenure, TNECD has landed over 310 projects, which represent more than 41,600 job commitments and $31.6 billion in capital investment. Of those projects, more than 31 percent were the result of foreign direct investment with 52 percent landing in rural Tennessee.
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 Gov. Bill 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 degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Clemson University. McWhorter resides in Nashville with his wife, Leigh Anne, and their children.
