Click Here To Listen Williamson Business 100 Leading Women Lillian Campbell Stewart
As a lifelong resident of downtown Franklin and a sixth generation descendent of settlers of Franklin and Williamson County Tennessee, I attended Franklin Elementary School at Five Points and the Harpeth Hall School in Nashville for my high school years. I hold an undergraduate degree and a Masters of Teaching Arts degree in the French language from Vanderbilt University.
After twenty years of teaching French at the high school and college level, I was elected and served one term as Alderman on the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Thereafter I was elected Mayor and served one term from 1987-1989. I was an early advocate of comprehensive land use planning and supported the area’s first long range plan for growth and development. As a result of the plan, the City and County were able to establish the first impact and adequate facilities fees on new development in the state of Tennessee. The fees continue to be collected today and help to offset the rising costs of new infrastructure to existing residents and taxpayers. The first Streetscape initiative, a publicly and privately funded program to redesign and redevelop Main Street was directed and constructed during my administration. I advocated the establishment of historic overlay districts to protect the character of downtown Franklin and as Mayor was able to appoint the first group of members to the Franklin Historic Zoning Commission. I advocated and negotiated the construction of the first public recreation center to be jointly funded by the City and Williamson County, now operating on Fulton Greer Drive in Franklin. I advocated measures to assure the construction of moderately priced housing. Some of these measures are being pursued with the City by non-profit organizations at the present time.
I have served as Chair of the Board of Trusts of O’More College of Design, member of the Board of Directors of GAP Community Development Resources, Inc., Past President and current Corresponding Secretary of the Allied Arts Club of Franklin, member and former chair of the Historic Preservation Committee of the Old Glory Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, member Save the Franklin Battlefield, Inc., Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, Land Trust of Tennessee, longtime member of Church Women of Franklin and Williamson County, and Elder of Historic Franklin Presbyterian Church on Main Street.
My husband Boardman Stewart and I will have been married 57 years in March 2018. We are the proud parents of three children, Paiden (Dan) Hite, Caroline Stewart, and Calvin (Armistead Lemon) Stewart and grandparents of four very special grandchildren Virginia and George Hite, and Henry and James Stewart of Nashville.