John Sumners Tanner, born on September 22, 1944, in Union City, Tennessee, earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee in 1966 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1968. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970, practiced law in Union City, and later served as district attorney general for Tennessee's 29th Judicial District. A moderate Democrat known for his conservative fiscal positions, Tanner was a founder of the Blue Dog Coalition and represented Tennessee's 8th congressional district as a U.S. Representative from January 3, 1989, to January 3, 2011, when he retired from public office. Post-Congress, he joined Prime Policy Group as Vice Chairman, a lobbying and public affairs firm, and has been involved in various bipartisan efforts.