Finbarr Saunders - At Large Seat C

City Recorder

Will Johnson
[email protected]
(865) 215-2075

400 Main St., Room 467
Knoxville, TN 37902

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Former Councilman and Vice Mayor


Finbarr SaundersVice Mayor Finbarr Saunders - At Large Seat C
102 Herron Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919
865-604-2536
[email protected]
Term ends: December 2019

Finbarr Saunders is a Knoxville native with a solid record of service. After a tour in Vietnam, he returned to enter banking at Hamilton National and then Park National. It was during that time Finbarr discovered his passion for public service, first on the board of East Tennessee Children's Hospital (1981-2005) and then as president (1984) of the Arts Council. 

Finbarr was selected as Vice Mayor on December 16, 2017.

Finbarr was appointed to the Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission in 1986 and served until his resignation in 2012. 

His service on other community organizations has included:

St John's Episcopal Church - Acolyte, 37 years
West Knoxville Sertoma Club since 1975
East Tennessee Historical Society - President, 1988-89
Bearden Council since 2000
Westwood Homeowners' Association - President, 1998-2002
Knox Heritage - President, 2005-06
Tennessee Preservation Trust Board - 2006-2009
Leadership Knoxville - Class of 2007
Downtown Design Review Board -2007-2009
Metropolitan Drug Commission Board - 2008 - 2010
East Tennessee Quality Growth Board since 2009 

Finbarr is a founding board member of the Trust Company of Knoxville. His work as office manager (1985- 2008) at Novinger, Ball & Zivi, PA, allowed him time for his community service. He retired from Novinger in order to serve as Knox County Commission, District 4, Representative (2008 -2010). 

Finbarr has been married to Ellen Bebb, an Oak Ridge middle school teacher, since 1996. He has two grown children (Emily & Robert) who are both married and residents of Knoxville and a granddaughter (Katelynn).