Catching up with Michael Grider

By Mike Steely

Senior Writer

steelym@knoxfocus.com

You probably know Michael Grider, who served Tim Burchett when he was Knox County Mayor and then went with him to Congress. Did you know Grider is a Cubs fan, an Oak Ridge native, and a former college newspaper reporter?

The Knoxville Focus caught up with Grider recently and asked some questions.

Fourteen years with Congressman and Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett… What prompted your leaving as his main staff member?

Spending the previous decade-and-a-half working for Congressman Burchett—both in his mayoral administration and later as his chief of staff in Congress—was a tremendous honor, an outstanding opportunity and a ton of fun. However, I never wanted to have a government paycheck my entire life a

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