Highlighting Heroes: Corder Family
Every time you take a sip of clean water, every time you drive safely down a street in Kingsport, you have the Corder family to thank.
Mike and Tony Corder are brothers who both work for the City of Kingsport and have been serving the community for 21 and 20 years, respectively. Before entering into employment with the city, they worked together at the cotton mill. Now, as they continue their tradition of working together, a new generation joins them. Mike’s son, Clay, has been working for the city for 3 years now, following in his father’s footsteps. Though the three Corder men work in different divisions of Public Works, there are times when their jobs overlap, giving them the opportunity to work alongside family.
Mike Corder is a Traffic Maintenance Technician and as such, he realizes the importance of road safety. “Safety first is my main goal,” says Mike. “To know the streets are properly marked and the signs are visible is the first step in keeping drivers and pedestrians safe.”
Part of his job with the city includes installation and maintenance of roadway markings and signs, but he also sets up work zones and message boards. These are essential to ensure that any sudden traffic changes can be carried out safely, with no accidents. Without people like Mike, roads would not be correctly marked and would certainly become unsafe.
Clay Corder, Mike’s son, is a Technical Service Worker in Water Services. The water meters he installs, maintains, and reads daily help to regulate the water to Kingsport homes and businesses. He knows the importance of a water meter working properly, and the accuracy involved with that. “I want to do the best I can,” Clay said. “I want to know the meters are reading accurately for both the customer and the city.”
Tony Corder is a Crew Leader in Water Services System Maintenance. His job usually revolves around the installation and upkeep of waterlines around the city. Whether new installations or repairs, Tony and his team may be the ones performing this work. “I feel our crew does a good job,” Tony said. “I want to do as good a job for our customers as I would do at home.”
When you think of water being our most valuable resource, remember people like Tony who are dedicated to the installation and maintenance of your waterlines. “Water is essential. It’s like you don’t miss it until it’s not there,” Tony said.
These three men do their very best every day to provide essential services for the City of Kingsport. All of them are very appreciative of the opportunities they have been afforded with the city. The hard work and dedication of these three heroes is highly valued and their ongoing efforts help the City of Kingsport to continue to thrive.
