What is your full name?
Mark A. Riggins

What is your profession?
I am the Engineering Support Coordinator for Clarksville Gas and Water and I serve as the Montgomery County Commissioner for District Four.

Where are you from originally?
Dotsonville, a community in the western part of Montgomery County.

How long have you been in Clarksville? What brought you to Clarksville?
All my life.

Tell us about your family.
I have been married to Cathy Riggins, the best thing that has ever happened to me, for over twelve years. We have two wonderful children: a son Lane (10) and a daughter Mayson (7). Cathy is a kindergarten teacher at Cumberland Heights Elementary School. We have the best, close-knit family you could ask for and we owe much of our progress to their loving support.

What do you like most about Clarksville?
This is hard because I love so much about Clarksville. If I had to choose one, it would be that Clarksville is full of opportunities for anyone willing to be assertive and put in the effort. I started working for the City pouring concrete, digging ditches, and shoveling pavement nearly fifteen years ago. I moved up to an equipment operator and then a crew chief, all within six years. Five years later I was able to excel again and am currently working as a manager in the Engineering Department. Where else would I have had that opportunity with only a high school education?

If you could have any other profession/dream job what would it be?
I would be a professional hunter. I love hunting, fishing, and just being outdoors.

What is your favorite meal?
Steak, chicken, fish; if you can grill it, I like it.

What is the easiest and most difficult part of your job every day?
The easiest and the hardest part of both of my positions are dealing with the general public. For me, the easiest and most rewarding thing is when I am able to help an individual or doing something I know will positively affect the public as a whole. On the other hand, the hardest thing is dealing with someone with a genuine problem and having to tell him or her there is nothing I can do.

What do you drive?
2001 GMC extended cab Z-71

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?
Cinderella Man or any western with Clint Eastwood

Who do you look up too? Who is your role model?
I look up to those who I feel have done great deeds, great or small, for people, especially those who have directly affected Clarksville – Montgomery County. I am lucky enough to have more than one role model in my life. My great-grandfather, Ray Steiner, was a sharecropper who worked on a farm until he was seventy-nine years old. He is the hardest working man I will ever know. My grandfather, Lawrence Riggins, also was a hard working farmer who greatly served his community as a County Commissioner for sixteen years. And last, but definitely not least is my father, David Riggins. He has fairly and diligently served Clarksville – Montgomery County for over thirty-four years now and I cannot think of anyone who has had a more positive effect throughout or has served as unselfishly as he has.

What has been the toughest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your life?
This last election, which was my first, going up against three other people, and including an incumbent with over twenty years of experience was very tough. I have never worked so hard for anything before.


What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now? How would you like your life to look 10 years from now?
I hope to still be right at home at Gas and Water, possibly serving as General Manager. By then, I may be looking at retiring from the City in five more years, at which time I may consider entering into politics full time.

Have you ever been issued a speeding ticket?
Yes.

Why did you choose your current profession?
I went to work for Jim Durrett at the Street Department right out of high school because I wanted a job with insurance and retirement benefits. At the time, I was the only eighteen-year-old I knew who cared about this in the least. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I graduated from Northwest High School.

When and to where was your last vacation?
Last summer, the entire family went to Gulf Shores.

What is your favorite pastime or hobby?
Hunting and enjoying the outdoors with family and friends.

What advice can you give others juggling a family and career?
Never lose sight that your family means more and are the reason you go to work every day to begin with.

How do you start your day?
I try and help my wife get the kids ready for school before I leave for work. I tell them I love them every morning as I head out of the door. Usually, as soon as I get in the truck I am on the phone with one of my men or a contractor getting a jump on the day’s issues to be resolved.

What are you passionate about in life?
God, family, friends, Gas and Water, and Clarksville – Montgomery County

What is something most Clarksvillians wouldn’t know about you?
I regretfully dropped out of high school when I was a junior. After a while, my parents talked me into going back and graduating. I went back and completed the year gaining no credits, staying on the A-B honor roll, and working through the co-op program until I graduated. If I would have graduated on time I would have never taken the ACT, but the following year when I actually did, the completion of the ACT exam was required before gaining a diploma. I walked the line at graduation and received a little note where my diploma should’ve been, stating that I would receive it as soon as the school received results from the exam. I hitched a ride to Ft. Campbell to take the last available exam of the year. I had been telling myself that I was going to fill out the student info portion of the exam and leave, but once I sat down I thought I might as well give the test a shot since I had to wait on the others I had ridden with. After a few weeks, the guidance counselor from school called to inform me that my diploma was waiting for me at the front office. I told her to just mail it to me, which she refused to do, telling me she wished to speak to me in person. When I arrived the next morning she presented me with a diploma and my score from the ACT, which was a 25. She then proceeded to tell me that I probably would’ve gotten an even higher score if I had better prepared myself before the exam and with the 25 I could’ve gotten into any college in the state if I had the GPA to go with it. Ever since that day I have never turned down the chance to learn, gain experience, or excel when given the opportunity. That day changed my life forever.

If you could leave one message to the Clarksville community what would it be?
Don’t be the person complaining about a problem when you can be the one working toward a solution!




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