Office of the First Lady: Andrea Conte Papers, RG 335

Transcription

1 State of Tennessee Department of State Tennessee State Library and Archives Office of the First Lady: Andrea Conte Papers, RG 335 Creator: Conte, Andrea, Inclusive Dates: COLLECTION SUMMARY Scope & Content: The Office of the First Lady: Andrea Conte Papers, , cover Conte s eight years as First Lady and are filed in fifteen boxes. Several key events are covered in these papers, including items relating to the 2008 presidential debate held at Belmont University; the 2003, 2007, and 2011 gubernatorial inaugurations; and the restoration of the Tennessee Executive Residence. The residence restoration was a controversial issue for local media, and the correspondence from opposing sides reflects this. The First Lady spearheaded the initiative to restore the aging Governor s Mansion in Several boxes of material pertain to this project, which include grant proposals, press releases, schedules, magazines, newspaper clippings, blueprints, architectural designs, and correspondence from taxpayers, contractors, builders, and politicians. A photocopy of the original construction manual from the Wills Mansion, as it was known then, is among the items. Along with the restoration of the Tennessee Executive Residence, First Lady Andrea Conte devoted a large amount of time to helping children and raising awareness of child abuse. Her vehicle for this was Andrea Walks, a day by day trek that covered the state s three Grand Divisions. The First Lady spoke at many events to raise awareness of the issue in addition to being the force behind Andrea

2 Walks. Materials pertaining to the initiative are primarily schedules of daily events, correspondence, and photographs. Physical Description/Extent: 7.5 cubic feet Accession/Record Group Number: RG 335 Language: English Permanent Location: RG 335 Repository: Tennessee State Library and Archives, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee, Administrative/Biographical History Andrea Conte was born on February 13, 1941, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, to Louis and Rosalie Conte. Andrea graduated from Searles High School in Following that she spent time training as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she became a registered nurse after three years. Continuing her education and career, Andrea graduated with a bachelor s degree in nursing from the University of Washington in Andrea Conte and Philip Bredesen married in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England, on November 22, Conte acquired a management position at Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) located in Nashville, which became their home in She also had managerial duties for the former accounting firm of Ernst & Whinney. Andrea received her master s degree in Business Administration from the former University of Tennessee at Nashville, now Tennessee State University, in The couple s only child, Benjamin Bredesen, was born in On December 7, 1988, Conte was kidnapped in the parking lot outside Conte Phillips, the retail store and cooking school that she owned and operated. As the assailant sped away with Andrea, she fought back and eventually escaped the moving vehicle. While Andrea survived, her attacker fled; nearly a year later, he was caught and convicted after murdering a woman in a Nashville park. Conte s experience was traumatic yet empowering, inspiring her efforts toward helping victims of abuse. She founded You Have the Power Know How to Use It! a not-

3 for-profit organization designed to heighten awareness and promote advocacy of victims rights, in Andrea Conte found herself in a new role as First Lady of Nashville after her husband Phil Bredesen won the Nashville mayoral election in During Bredesen s eight years as mayor, Nashville grew rapidly. The addition of the new Nashville Arena in downtown spurred this growth. In 1997 it became the home of the new National Hockey League team, the Nashville Predators. The arena also was used as an entertainment venue for concerts and other events, and it played a key role in revitalizing downtown hotspots along Second Avenue and Broadway. Mayor Bredesen initiated the building of a professional football stadium for the National Football League team, the Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers), after a much debated battle to bring the Oilers to Nashville. In addition to these new sports and entertainment venues, Mayor Bredesen made it possible to build a new main public library branch in downtown Nashville. These additions helped jumpstart Nashville s rise to prominence in the new South. As First Lady of Nashville, Andrea Conte created a domestic violence response team as part of the Metro Police squad. The team continues to serve as a model for other police departments across the country. The domestic violence response team is credited for being a factor in the reduction of domestic murder rates in Nashville. Following Bredesen s tenure as mayor, the Bredesen family ventured back into politics in the 2001 gubernatorial campaign. Phil Bredesen defeated Republican U.S. Representative Van Hilleary (4 th Congressional District) and was elected governor. As First Lady of Tennessee, Andrea Conte hoped to accomplish many things for the state. One of her biggest projects was the restoration and preservation of the Tennessee Executive Residence. Andrea was able to restore and preserve the historic home by using both federal money and state tax dollars for improvements and renovations required by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Along with the much needed upkeep, Andrea was the planning force behind the building of Conservation Hall. Conservation Hall was built underground in the front yard of the residence using a bid-winning, energy-efficient design by Memphis architecture firm, archimania. The hall serves as a conference and banquet room for dinners and other functions and can hold up to 160 people. The underground facility was built because the Executive Residence had no banquet or conference room; previously all functions had been outdoors under tents. Andrea decided it would be more suitable to host functions in the hall rather than setting up tents, allowing her to better manage events in the residence. Conservation Hall effortlessly combines utility with modern architectural principles including a glass atrium and an open courtyard. It contains many pieces

4 of art along with historic photographs of Tennessee s prominent past politicians, United States congressional representatives, and presidents. Along with update and renovation of the Executive Residence, Conte became an even greater advocate for victims rights through her actions as First Lady of Tennessee. One of her creations as an avid advocate came in August 2003, with the establishment of the Commission on Crime Victims Assistance. A statewide citizen commission, which is tasked with giving recommendations and advice on benefits and others issues associated with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. In addition to her previous work for victims rights, Andrea started A Season to Remember, an annual holiday ceremony that celebrates the lives and memories of victims and their friends and families. She also organized the first annual Andrea Walks for Tennessee s Children in 2004, a 605-mile trek across the state. Traveling from Memphis to Bristol, she promoted National Child Abuse Prevention Month and raised money and awareness for Tennessee Children s Advocacy Centers. Andrea Conte was awarded the National Crime Victim Service Award in April 2008 by U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey for her work in victim advocacy. The award recognized Conte s extraordinary efforts in direct services to crime victims. Organization/Arrangement of Materials The Office of the First Lady: Andrea Conte Papers are arranged by series. Series I: Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender. Series II: Events is arranged chronologically by event. Series III: Media is arranged chronologically by publication date. Series IV: Scheduling is arranged chronologically. Series V: Tennessee Executive Residence Restoration is arranged alphabetically by subject. Conditions of Access and Use Restrictions on Access: No restrictions. Restrictions on Use and Reproduction: While the Tennessee State Library and Archives houses an item, it does not necessarily hold the copyright on the item, nor may it be able to determine if the item is still protected under current copyright law. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such instances and for obtaining any other permissions and paying associated fees that may be necessary for the intended use.

5 Index Terms Personal Names: Bredesen, Phil, Conte, Andrea, Mukasey, Michael Bernard, Corporate Names/Organizations/Government Bodies: Boy Scouts of America ChildHelp USA Corrections Corporation of America Girl Scouts of America National Children s Alliance National Children s Advocacy Center National Institute of Corrections (U.S.) National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States Oak Ridge National Laboratory Public Library of Nashville and Davidson County Save the Children (U.S.) Scholastic Inc. Tennessee. Administrative Office of the Courts Tennessee Arts Commission Tennessee Art Education Association Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police Tennessee. Board of Probation and Parole Tennessee. Chancery Court Tennessee. Department of Children s Services Tennessee. Department of Finance and Administration Tennessee. Department of Labor and Workforce Development Tennessee Executive Residence Preservation Foundation II Tennessee. Governor ( : Bredesen) Tennessee Residence Foundation Tennessee Supreme Court United Way of Middle Tennessee United States. Commission on Presidential Debates United States. Department of Justice You Have the Power--Know How to Use It, Inc. Subjects: Architecture, American Children s rights -- Tennessee Fitness walking Historic buildings -- Conservation and restoration Nonprofit organizations --Tennessee

6 Public welfare -- Tennessee -- Nashville Victims of crimes -- Tennessee Geographic Names: Chattanooga (Tenn.) -- History -- Sources Knoxville (Tenn.) -- History -- Sources Memphis (Tenn.) -- History -- Sources Nashville (Tenn.) -- Politics and Government st Century Tennessee -- History -- Sources Tennessee -- Politics and Government st Century -- Sources Washington (District of Columbia) -- Politics and Government st Century Document Types: Blueline prints Clippings (information artifacts) Cloth Correspondence Contracts Design drawings Grant proposals Magazines (periodicals) Newspaper clippings Photographs Press releases Schedules (time plans) Acquisition and Appraisal Provenance and Acquisition: The Office of the First Lady: Andrea Conte Papers, ,were transferred to the Tennessee State Library and Archives at the end of Governor Bredesen's second term in Processing and Administrative Information Preferred Citation: Office of the First Lady Andrea Conte Papers, , RG 335, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Processing Information: Begun by Jody Trisdale, November 2011, completed by Zachary Keith, September 2015.

7 DETAILED COLLECTION DESCRIPTION The collection is divided into five series, each arranged differently. They are as follows: Series I: Correspondence Boxes 1-2 This series is arranged alphabetically by the sender s last name. The correspondence covers a wide range of topics, including Andrea Walks, victims rights, news articles, and speaking engagements, as well as other events attended by the First Lady. Inter-office s between the First Lady s staff are also included. CONTAINER LIST Contents/Item Title Date Box Folder Correspondence -- Conte, Andrea Correspondence -- Unknown Correspondence -- A Correspondence -- B Correspondence -- C Correspondence -- D Correspondence -- E Correspondence -- F Correspondence -- G Correspondence -- H Correspondence -- J Correspondence -- K Correspondence -- L Correspondence -- M Correspondence -- N Correspondence -- O Correspondence -- P Correspondence -- R Correspondence -- S Correspondence -- T Correspondence -- V Correspondence -- W

8 Series II: Events Boxes 3-6 The events series is arranged chronologically by date of event. Included are event programs, event schedules, Conte s speeches, and applications for attendance of the First Lady. CONTAINER LIST Contents/Item Title Date Box Folder Events February Events March Events April Events June Events July Events August Events September Events October Events November Events December Events January Events February Events March Events April Events May Events June Events July Events August Events September Events October Events November Events December Events January Events February Events March Events April Events May Events June Events July Events August Events September Events October Events November

9 Events December Events January Events February Events March Events April Events May Events June Events September Events October Events November Events December Events January Events March Events April Events May Events June Events July Events August Events September Events October Events November Events December Events January Events March Events April Events May Events July Events September Events October Events November Events December Events January Events March Events April Events May Events July Events September Events October Events November Events December Events February Events March Events April Events May Events June

10 Events July Events August Events September Events October Events November Events December Series III: Media Box 7 The media series is composed of newspaper clippings, press releases, magazines, and letterheads from the Office of the First Lady and Andrea Walks, and promotional material from the Andrea Walks campaign. It is arranged chronologically by date of publication except for the letterhead and promotional material which are arranged alphabetically. CONTAINER LIST Contents/Item Title Date Box Folder Media Media Media Media Media Media Media Media Media -- Andrea Walks Promotional Material Media -- Andrea Conte Stationery and Letterheads Media -- Website

11 Series IV: Scheduling Boxes 8-10 Scheduling is simply the daily itineraries of the First Lady. Each schedule includes security detail, travel plans, and event schedules. They are arranged chronologically. CONTAINER LIST Contents/Item Title Date Box Folder Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October Schedules November Schedules December Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October Schedules November Schedules December Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October

12 Schedules November Schedules December Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October Schedules November Schedules December Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October Schedules November Schedules December Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October Schedules November Schedules December Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July

13 Schedules August Schedules January Schedules February Schedules March Schedules April Schedules May Schedules June Schedules July Schedules August Schedules September Schedules October Schedules November Schedules December Schedules Andrea Walks Schedules January Series V: Tennessee Residence Restoration Boxes The Tennessee Residence Restoration series pertains to the restoration of the Executive Residence and the construction of Conservation Hall at the residence. Correspondence, Tennessee Arts Commission grant proposals, construction manuals, progress notes, photographs, designs, quilt fabric, promotional materials, and planning instructions comprise this series. It is arranged alphabetically by subject. CONTAINER LIST Contents/Item Title Date Box Folder Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Application for Payment -- PBG Builders, Inc. Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Architect Selection Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Architectural Contract Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Dedication Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Correspondence Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Correspondence Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Grant Agreement Between State of

14 Tennessee and Tennessee Residence Foundation Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Photograph Project Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Progress Notes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Progress Notes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Progress Notes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Progress Notes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Progress Notes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Progress Photographs Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Project Scope Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Conservation Hall -- Subcontractors and Vendors undated 12 6 Residence -- Chestnut Swing Residence -- Designs and Floorplans Residence -- Geothermal System Residence -- Groundbreaking Ceremony ca Residence -- Guide Book -- Governor s Mansion Residence -- An Oral History of the Tennessee Governor s Mansion Residence -- Project Manual -- W. R. Wills Residence Residence -- Progress Notes Residence -- Progress Notes Residence -- Progress Notes Residence -- Progress Notes Residence -- Progress Notes

15 Residence -- Progress Notes Residence -- Progress Notes Residence -- Progress Notes Residence Re-opening Ceremony Residence -- Roof Replacement Residence -- Rock Sample Analysis Residence -- Subcontractors Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Brindley Scholar Exhibits Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Emerson, Myrtle Rose Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Hunter, Sherri Warner Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- de Palma, Nick Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Ramsey, Bets Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Sculpture Project Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Tennessee Fiber Artists Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- The Tennessee Residence: Memories of the Past, Visions of the Future Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Textile Project Residence -- Tennessee Arts Commission -- Wise, Scott Residence -- The Tennessee Residence undated

16 Residence -- Timeline of Residence Restoration Residence -- Tours of the Executive Residence Pre Residence -- Tour Guide and Docent Directory Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Application for Registration of a Charitable Organization Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Audit Committee Charter Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Audit Committee Minutes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Audit Reports Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Board Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee undated 15 9 Executive Residence Foundation -- Bylaws Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Charter and Amendment Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Documents Relating to the Transition from Tennessee Executive Residence Preservation Foundation I to Tennessee Executive Residence Preservation Foundation II Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Fundraising Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Internal Corporate Governance Policies Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- IRS Report on Tax Exempt Status Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Legislation Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee Executive Residence Foundation -- Minutes Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee undated Executive Residence Foundation -- Risk Assessment for Protecting Assets Tennessee Residence Restoration -- Tennessee

17 Executive Residence Foundation -- Standards of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy