10 Things to Know about Becky Wade
In her 15-plus years with the City of Knoxville, Becky has ensured the renovation and creation of safe, livable and affordable housing for thousands of Knoxville households.
Over the course of her career, Becky has helped transform public housing in Knoxville. Her first job out of the University of Tennessee was as a case worker in the Western Heights public housing development built in the late '30s. One of her last acts as Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development for the City of Knoxville was helping apply for the $40 million federal grant for the Transforming Western project.
She has built trust in a community with a long distrust of federal housing programs and local housing officials. “The community has grown to trust Becky Wade,” Phyllis Nichols said during her remarks at Becky's retirement party.
"Becky is someone you can laugh with and be comfortable around," says Senior Project Manager Hope Ealey. "She always has the best costume when our department dresses up for the Chili Cookoff, our Christmas luncheon, etc. I've had several managers who stifle the fun when they walk into a room. Becky always enhances it."
She once conveyed the phone number of a man with a parrot on his shoulder to her KCDC colleague Debbie Taylor Allen.
Becky is grateful for the people who have been her collaborators and team mates. “I certainly didn’t do this alone,” she said. “I have a fabulous group of people. They make me look good.”
Becky credits her husband Jake as her biggest fan.
She's a longtime reader of The New Yorker magazine.
Just a few of the costumes Becky has donned for the long-running Chili Cookoff Costume Contest include a "Thriller" zombie, Morticia Addams and the Monopoly Man.
Before her last day in the office, she told the staff of The Lunchbox that they wouldn't see her as often because she was retiring and that they shouldn't think something bad had happened to her.