Longest-serving city employee, first female personnel director in Tennessee to retire Friday

 

Penelope “Penny” Sissom, the longest-serving city employee and the first female personnel director in Tennessee, will retire Friday. Sissom is Oak Ridge’s personnel director, and she has worked for the city for 52 years.

On June 8, 1964, Sissom accepted a job as a personnel clerk and embarked on a career-long journey with the City of Oak Ridge as a community activist and a devoted employee, a press release said.

During her time with the city, Sissom helped organize the schools’ Student-in-Government Day. She played a significant role during the successful campaign for a new public library and community recreation center.

Sissom’s unadulterated passion for community engagement and leadership skills accelerated her career, the press release said. She was promoted from human resources manager, to personnel administrator, to personnel director, the position she holds today.

She was the first female member of the Tennessee City Manager’s Association as well as the first female personnel director in the state. Sissom was also a trailblazer within the Southern Region of the International Personnel Management Association, becoming the first person to progress through all chairs of the organization.

“I believe it is absolutely fitting to honor Ms. Sissom’s long tenured service to the Oak Ridge community,” Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said. “It is rare to find those that are motivated to public service for a lifetime.”

To mark Sissom’s retirement and thank her for a long and impressive career, the City of Oak Ridge declared July 15, 2016, as “Penelope H. Sissom Day.” (The proclamation is included in the Monday, July 11, Oak Ridge City Council agenda.)

“I have had the pleasure and occasional frustration of working for eight different city managers and with numerous department directors,” Sissom said when asked about her career. “I have made many friends and acquaintances, and probably some enemies, among the almost 3,500 individuals hired by the city since I was originally hired. I had something to do with the hiring of each of these people and occasionally a lot to do with the end of their employment. I value many experiences during my tenure—probably good fodder for a book or two; or maybe there is a city board or a city council seat in my future.”

She’s also worked with 61 City Council members.

“Penny has provided leadership and guidance to the City of Oak Ridge organization as it has grown and changed through the years,” Watson said. “The City of Oak Ridge will miss her vast knowledge of this organization and service to our employees.”

Sissom has two sons, David and Morgan, and three grandchildren.

Bruce Applegate will be serving as interim personnel director.

At one time, former Oak Ridge City Clerk Jacquelyn J. “Jackie” Bernard was the longest-serving city employee. When she retired in October 2010, Bernard had served for 50 years, which was the longest of any city employee at that time. Bernard had worked as city clerk since November 1974 and had been a municipal employee for 50 years—since the city begin operating in June 1960, following an incorporation vote in 1959.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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