Mark Farley Joins Ben Rodgers To Discuss UCDD

Loading player...
Ben Rodgers sits down with Mark Farley, Executive Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District. They discuss Mark’s journey into his role, the vital work UCDD does across all 14 counties, and how grant funding—over $52 million last year alone—supports local governments, small businesses, and critical programs like substance abuse recovery. Mark also shares insight into regional growth, the challenges of working with newly elected officials, and the importance of collaboration in moving the Upper Cumberland forward. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at one of the region’s most impactful organizations.

Listen To The Local Matters Podcast Today!
24 Oct 9AM English United States Society & Culture · Education

Other recent episodes

Johnathon Williams Joins Ben Rodgers To Discuss His Lifelong Commitment To Service

Ben Rodgers sits down with Putnam County Commissioner Jonathan A.D. Williams, whose journey from Chicago to the Marine Corps to Cookeville shaped a lifelong commitment to service. Williams shares how his upbringing, military career, and years in law enforcement inspired his passion for local government and community leadership. Now a…
12 Dec 9AM 33 min

Dr. Michael Littrell Joins Jeremy Wendt To Discuss The Future Of Education

In this episode host Jeremy Wendt sits down with Dr. Michael Littrell from Tennessee Tech’s College of Education and Human Sciences. Together, they talk about how technology—and even artificial intelligence—is changing the way future educators learn and teach. Dr. Wendt reflects on his own Cookeville roots, growing up in a…
9 Dec 9AM 33 min

Morgan Abston And George Halford Talk How Legacies Shaped Her Path Into Service

George Halford sits down with Morgan Abston, Public Information Officer for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, to talk about family, service, and community. As the daughter and granddaughter of longtime law enforcement officers — including former Sheriff Jerry “Pa” Abston — Morgan shares how their legacies shaped her path. She…
8 Dec 9AM 33 min