Lions of Tennessee 2025/2026 Council of Governors

   Scott Shelhamer, from Bartlett, Tennessee, USA was selected to serve as Council Chair for Multiple District 12 at the Tennessee Lions State Convention, held in Jackson, Tennessee, USA, May 2 and 3, 2025. He served as District Governor of District 12-L for 2024/2025.

District Governor Shelhamer is currently employed by the Bryce Corporation in Memphis, Tennessee. He is an ERP Software Engineer and has been employed at Bryce Corporation for 24 years.

He is a charter member of the Bartlett Lions Club in Bartlett, Tennessee. The club was chartered in 2010. He has held every elected office and most of the appointed offices for the club. He has served as District Cabinet Secretary three times, District Zone Chair two times, and District By-Laws and Constitution Chair five times. He has also served as President of the Mid-South Lions Sight and Hearing Service in Memphis, Tennessee. He is currently serving as the 2026 USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum Host Vice Chair.

In recognition of his service, he has been awarded an International President’s Award, an International President’s Leadership Award and four International President’s Certificates of Achievement.

District Governor Shelhamer is a Melvin Jones Fellow. His wife, Gena Shelhamer, is Melvin Jones Fellow and longtime Lion.

 Born in 1956 in Brazil, Tennessee, Newell (Sam) Jones and his wife, Debora Ann, have lived in Camden, TN, since 1977. They have three sons and three grandchildren. Sam is a member of the Camden Pentecostal Church, a Lifetime VA Member, and occasionally serves in Benton County Government roles.

Sam graduated from Peabody High School (1974), earned an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science from Jackson State Community College, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Leadership from Union University. His career included factory work, 22 years as a small business owner, and 12 years as an Engineer in Costing and Finance at Johnson Controls Automotive Division.

Enlisting in the Army in 1974, Sam served 41.8 years across the Army, Tennessee National Guard, and Army Reserve, retiring as Captain in 2016. His roles ranged from Medic, Computer Programmer/ Operator, Combat Arms, Intelligence ending with Contracting for 7 years and including three Middle East deployments.

Sam first joined the Camden Lions Club in 1991 for one year then rejoined upon retirement in 2016. Sam has served as Club President, Secretary, Board Member, Zone Chair, Second and First Vice District Governor. A Certified Guiding Lion, Lindsey Jennings Fellow, and Melvin Jones Award recipient, he currently serves as District Governor Elect, leveraging his military and civic experience to advance community service.

  William Evans Jones (Evan) of Lewisburg, Tennessee, USA, was elected to serve as District Governor of Lions Clubs District 12-I during the organization’s 107th International Convention held in Orlando, Florida, USA, from July 13 to July 17, 2025. Currently, District Governor Jones holds the position of Information Technology (IT) Specialist at First Commerce Bank in his hometown of Lewisburg. He has been with the company since 2016 and has been an integral member of his community through his involvement in various activities.

District Governor Jones has been a member of the Lewisburg Lions Club since 2017 and served as the club’s president from 2020 to 2022. He currently holds the positions of Sight Chairperson and Membership Chairperson. Additionally, he serves as the Multiple District Vice Council Chair. District Governor Jones is recognized as a Melvin Jones Fellow. He resides in Cornersville, Tennessee, with his wife, Chelsea, who is also an active member of the club.

Steve McLelland, from Fairfield Glade, Tennessee was elected to serve as District Governor for District 12-O at the District 12-O Spring Convention, held in Dayton, Tennessee from March 7 and 8, 2025.

District Governor Steve graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Microbiology and Business. These two academic fields served him well as he worked in the Industrial Water Treatment field for 33 years. After retiring in 2013, Steve and his wife, Mia relocated from Northern New Jersey to Fairfield Glade enjoying all that Tennessee offers.

In August of 2015 a golfing friend invited Steve to join the Fairfield Glade (FFG) Lions Club, sparking a transformative journey in Lionism. Elected to the Board of Directors shortly after, Steve co-chaired the club’s inaugural Strides Walk for Diabetes Awareness with PCC Fred Mundt. His passion for diabetes awareness, despite not having the disease himself, led him to chair the event annually, with the 8th Walk held in April 2025. Steve’s leadership continued as he served as 1st Vice President and the President of the FFG Lions Club in 2019-2020, navigating the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. He remains involved in all major fund-raising and service projects of the club.

Beyond the club level, Steve has served as Zone and Region Chair and has been the District Diabetes Chair since 2020. Steve has graduated from the Tennessee Lion Learning Institute and has received his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Lion University. He has attended 3 USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forums and was awarded a Presidential Medal, the second highest award in Lionism in 2023.He is also a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow. Steve received the club’s Lion if the Year Award in 2018 and the Lindsey-Jennings award in 2024.

Steve has been active in his churches, both in New Jersey and here in Crossville serving in various offices including President, Elder and Head Elder while singing in the choir. 

  District Governor (12N) Nathanael Hughes is from Hampton, TN and graduated from Hampton High School where he played basketball for four years and finished his career with 1,971 points. He was the first player ever at the time east of Knoxville, TN to be named a Mr. Basketball Finalist (2011). 

Nathanael Hughes went on to be a collegiate basketball athlete where he played for five years at King University in Bristol, TN. Nathanael began his career with Northwestern Mutual in 2015 as a college financial representative intern. Nathanael used his final year at King in the 2015-16 to earn his MBA specializing in finance.

Upon graduation, Nathanael joined Northwestern Mutual as a financial advisor and has been with the company full time since 2016. 

In 2025, Nathanael joined “Highlands Wealth Partners” *private client group* (Northwestern Mutual). 

From 2021- 2023 Nathanael pursued additional education through The American College and earned his RICP (retirement income certified professional) , CLU (chartered life underwriter) and ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) designations. 

In 2024, Nathanael earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, one of his proudest accomplishments.

Nathanael has been a Lions club member for 10 years with the Elizabethton Lions Club. He has served in roles such as president, zone chair, 2nd VDG and 1st VDG for district 12N (Tennessee). He also serves on the board for LVBI (Lions Volunteer Blind Industries) *6 years. 

Nathanael also serves as philanthropy chair for the Jenkins District office within the Pruett Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual. 

Nathanael has been a lifelong member at Valley Forge Christian Church in Elizabethton, TN. Nathanael enjoys refereeing high school and college basketball, hiking, fishing and hunting. He is blessed with wonderful parents: Robert and Jennifer, and has two younger brothers: Milburn and Matthew. Nathanael is engaged to his best friend, fiancé Tatum who he will marry on June 7th of this year (2025). 

Lion Larry Lyon grew up in Murfreesboro and graduated from Oakland High School. Early in life, he helped in selling brooms, mops and lightbulbs as well as working at many pancake breakfasts. 

Lion Larry is a member of Murfreesboro Noon Lion Club and has been active in Lion for the last 15 years. He served as district 12-S Zone Chair two times, Club President, Vice District Governor and is very excited to serve as District Governor where his father served as District Governor in 97-98.

He has worked in the restaurant business for many years and worked at Better Built Aluminum for 20 years. He found his way back to the food service industry as Director of Hospitality at his local church where he is very involved.  When he is not planning meals & events, he enjoys working in his shop and gardening.