Bill Hullander at the trustee's office
When Bill Hullander was growing up at Apison, it was mostly a farming community, including several dairies. His parents farmed and later started a general store on the homeplace on London Lane.
The dairies are long gone and much of the farmland has been sold off for large subdivisions or condo developments.
Mr. Hullander and his wife, Linda, still live near the original family farm, and the old grocery store building still stands.
Frank Hullander came from Hiwassee, Ga., around 1900 in a horse and wagon. He bought a farm at Apison near the Georgia line. His son, Troy Hullander, and wife, Edith Peters, carried on the farming and bought the adjacent place where Bill Hullander now lives.
He grew up around the store, which he said "was an old-time general store. We sold everything from horse shoes to fan belts. There were gas pumps out front."
Bill Hullander finished Ooltewah High School in 1964, then went to work at DuPont, where he stayed for seven years.
He met Linda Chambers of Lakeview on a blind date that was set up by his friend, Roger Alexander, whose father started Wally's Restaurant. They have been married 44 years this month.
In 1972, he left DuPont and joined with Roger Alexander in starting A&H Carpet on McCallie Avenue near Wally's. He sold his part to Mr. Alexander in 1978, then launched his own business that developed into Hullco. He started out as the Buck Stove Center, working initially from the chicken house on the family farm. When wood stoves began to play out, he began contracting with TVA for storm windows. That led to replacement windows, then windows for new construction.
Later, Hullco continued to grow and got into construction of sunrooms and other products.
Hullco moved to a prominent location on East Brainerd Road near Concord Baptist Church in 1998. Bill sold out in 2009 to his son, Matt. Bill said, "Linda and I have been so proud of where Matt has taken the company. He was named national remodelor of the year in 2012."
Bill noted that he got his love for politics from his dad. "He knew a lot of the politicians of the day."
He accepted an assignment on the Board of Apeals and served 10 years. When George Shuford chose not to seek re-election on the County Commission, Bill was urged to run. He was elected in 1998 and served until he won the trustee's seat in 2010, defeating the incumbent.
Son Matt married Jenny Daniel, and they live next door to Bill and Linda with daughter, Reese, who is the star of Hullco TV commercials.
Daughter Mandy lives at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She and husband, Kenny Hadden, have a son, Flinn.
Bill's sister, Barbara Rogers, works at First Tennessee Bank at Collegedale.
Bill and Linda with the kids and grandkids