The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC) has welcomed four new members to serve as part of the 13-member governing body of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
New appointees include Hanes Torbett of Johnson City for District 1, Rosemary McIlhenny of Nashville for District 5, and John McCarty of Collierville for District 9. Clinton native, Steve Jones, who previous served from 2019-23, returns to serve another term statewide.
Commissioner Torbett provides financial services, employee benefits consulting, and insurance brokerage services in Tennessee. He is committed to helping families achieve financial security and has been honored with the 2021 President’s Inner Circle qualification, the George B. Pearson Sales Leadership Award, and the Wall of Fame Award with Ohio National Life Insurance Company.
Commissioner Torbett also serves on the Tennessee sports wagering council and is a former member of the Tennessee Historical Commission. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Relations from the University of North Carolina and is an avid sportsman and hunter.
A native of Avery Island, La., Commissioner McIlhenny has embraced her family’s 200-year legacy of stewardship and conservation, which has shaped her deep commitment to preserving natural habitats. Since moving to Tennessee, she has been an active volunteer with TWRA and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF) outreach programs, particularly for new female hunters and the TWRF Heritage Club.
Her background combines personal service to education, community, wildlife preservation and land conservation through board engagement with the GWM Foundation, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, and the Land Trust for Tennessee. She continues to be engaged with Harpeth River Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Friends of Warner Park, Montgomery Bell Academy, and the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. Her hobbies include fishing, gardening, hunting. She notes that Tennessee is a great state for outdoorswomen. As a commissioner, she is looking forward to “being a good steward of our natural resources and providing safe access for current and future Tennesseans.”
Commissioner McCarty is a sportsman who grew up hunting and fishing in Tennessee. An Eagle Scout, he is dedicated to introducing a younger generation to the outdoors sports that he enjoys.
McCarty is an engineer and started his own company, McCarty Granberry Engineering in Collierville. Prior to that, he managed several projects for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Commissioner McCarty earned his degree in engineering from Mississippi State University.
Commissioner Jones is president of Steve Jones & Associates, LLC, in Oak Ridge, leading and supporting projects where economic development, strategic management and implementation, and government relations need special attention.
Commissioner Jones proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 1991 and is a decorated Desert Shield veteran with both flight line and flight crew experience.
He has also served on the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council, UT/Battelle Development Corporation board of directors, Tennessee Valley Corridor board of directors, and East Tennessee Economic Council executive board of directors. Commissioner Jones has also been a valuable member of the Anderson County Farm Bureau board of directors for 30 years. He is a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and a lifetime member of Quail Forever.
Commissioner Jones earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is an avid sportsman and enjoys hunting trips with his family.
(Photo credit: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)