McCall picked for county GOP chair

October 31, 2005
Executive members of the Wilson County Republican Party recently elected Lebanon businessman and longtime GOP activist Albert B. McCall to succeed former Mt. Juliet Mayor Kevin Mack as the local party chairman.
WCRP Vice Chairman Sherrie Orange, who served as the party's interim leader after Mack's dismissal earlier this month, said McCall was selected for the post at a WCRP executive committee meeting Oct. 24.
"We think that he will be an asset to the party. We are proud to have him as our chairman," Orange said. "We feel that he's deeply committed to the success and growth of our party."
A native of Carthage, McCall graduated from Castle Heights Military Academy in 1979. He then received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in mechanical and materials engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1983. He went on to serve as an officer in the U.S. Army, the Tennessee National Guard and then received a Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary's University in San Antonio in 1987.
After briefly practicing law in Nashville, McCall became a partner in D.T. McCall and Sons furniture and appliance company in 1988, according to a biography provided by the Wilson County Republican Party. Presently, McCall serves as the operations manager and appliance and electronics buyer for D.T. McCall and Sons.
"I have been an active member of the Tennessee Republican Party since reaching voting age, and I have voted in every presidential election and probably every statewide and federal general election since then," McCall wrote in a statement issued Friday.
State Sen. Mae Beavers, who has known McCall for several years, said she feels he will help propel the party forward leading into the 2006 election cycle.
"I think he will do a great job. He's a true Republican, and I know he's a hard worker and has a heart for moving the party forward," Beavers said.
And while State Rep. Susan Lynn said she had yet to meet McCall on Friday, she said she planned to speak with him soon and would offer her support.
"I will fully support the new chairman of our party, and I'm hopeful that he will display good leadership and reunite our party," Lynn said.
Mack, who accepted the party chairman's post earlier this year, maintained his primary goal as chairman was to reunify the county Republican Party and West Wilson Republicans. Mack was ultimately removed from the post, however, amid county party officials' allegations he rarely took part in the organization's events.
Contacted by The Lebanon Democrat on Friday, Mack conceded he was "disappointed" to have been ousted from the chairman's seat, but he said he holds "no ill will" toward McCall and is hopeful the newly elected chairman will succeed.
"I hope that they can get moving forward, and anything I can do to support them, I'll be happy to do so," Mack said. "At this point, I think it would be wise to let them give it their best shot and see if they have better luck at it than I did. I wish him (McCall) the very best."
Staff Writer Brian Harville can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 16 or by e-mail at brian.harville@lebanondemocrat.com.