Ken Yager
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenneth E. Yager (born January 5, 1947) is an American politician currently serving as a Republican state senator in the Tennessee General Assembly.[1] He represents Tennessee's 12th Senate district, which is made up of the counties of Campbell, Clay, Fentress, Macon, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Roane, and Scott.[1] Yager is chairman of the Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus.[1]
Ken Yager | |
|---|---|
Sen. Yager in Senate Chamber | |
| Member of the Tennessee Senate from the 12th district | |
| Assumed office January 13, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Tommy Kilby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 5, 1947 |
| Citizenship | American |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Malinda Raby |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Website | https://www.kenyager.com/ |
Early life and education
Yager was born on January 5, 1947.[1] He received a B.A. from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1969, a M.S. from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1972, and a J.D. from the University of Memphis in 1977.[1]
Yager went on to work as a teacher in Harriman, serve as the Roane County Attorney, and serve as the Roane County Executive.[2]
Political career
Yager defeated Becky Ruppe and Christopher Fenner to become the Tennessee State Senator for District 12, and he is currently serving his fifth term.[3]
Yager has served on multiple committees throughout his tenure in the Senate. He is a current member of the Commerce and Labor Committee; the Finance, Ways and Means Committee; and the Fiscal Review Committee.[1] He is also chair of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.[1]
Yager has been endorsed by both the Faith and Freedom Coalition, and the Tennessee State Employees Association.[4]
Personal life
Yager is married to the former Malinda Raby of Oliver Springs; together they have two adult children. Yager and his wife currently reside in Kingston and attend the First Baptist Church in Kingston, Tennessee.[5]
In 2019, Roane State Community College named a building on their campus after Yager.[6]
Yager was named 2023 'Man of the Year' by the Tennessee Men's Health Network. In 2024, Yager was photographed skydiving as to both "celebrate [his] one year of being cancer-free and to raise awareness for prostate cancer".[7]