Michael Sparks

Michael Sparks, a member of the Advance Bristol Executive Committee, is a certified economic developer. He served as the deputy city manager of Bristol, Tennessee, from 1997 until 2015, where he focused on economic development for the city.

Mr. Sparks is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in urban studies. He also earned a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Florida State University, and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.

Prior to his nearly two-decade tenure with the city of Bristol, Mr. Sparks served as the West Tennessee regional director of the Tennessee Local Planning Office for 25 years. He was also appointed to the Tennessee Military Affairs Commission and received a staff assignment to the Federal Mississippi River Delta Commission.

Now retired, Mr. Sparks remains committed to Bristol and continues to assist with further economic development.