The 100 standout Tennesseans represent a snapshot of the power structure in the Volunteer State in 2009.

Political churn in both Nashville and Washington D.C. served as a key factor in much of the shake-up on this year’s list; however, the majority of the representatives – 86% – return from last year.

How BusinessTN arrives at these annual rankings is admittedly more art than science. Scores of sources across the state share their background opinions, which are mixed with our staff’s own knowledge of the power structure across Tennessee.

The result is a list of people who actively exercise their power. Power 100 occupants do not sit still. As a result, these are the people who bear uncommon responsibility for Tennessee’s present fortunes, both good and bad.

7. Jim Cooper, U.S. Congressman – 5th District
An early Obama supporter, Cooper will now exert significant influence on the nation’s biggest issues including the budget and health care. He is arguably Tennessee’s most powerful politician on the national stage. Cooper had been mentioned as a potential Obama Cabinet member (White House Office of Management and Budget), but he will instead be a key player in the Democrat-controlled Congress and the Blue Dog Coalition, a centrist group pushing for greater transparency in federal accounting. Cooper is the only Rhodes scholar in Congress.

- BusinessTN, March/April 2009