Andy Marshall on Election Night

Andy Marshall talks to his supporters at his election party on May 5, 2026. 

 Angelina Castillo

Veteran local restaurateur and Puckett's founder Andy Marshall will step down as leader of his eponymously named hospitality company after having been elected Williamson County mayor.

Marshall, who will serve a four-year term as the affluent county's first new mayor since 2002, is the founder of Franklin-based A. Marshall Hospitality. 

In an interview with the Post, Marshall shared that he will transition out of the CEO position at AMH, taking an emeritus title as founder and owner, now that he has been elected. His daughter, Claire Crowell, currently serves as president and will become the new CEO.

Crowell worked her way up in the business to chief operating officer, helping grow Puckett's from three to nine locations, and also founded Hattie Jane’s Creamery, which has grown to five locations and ships product nationwide. After spending several years focused on Hattie Jane's, she returned to AMH as president in 2025.

Marshall, who replaces Rogers Anderson as Williamson County mayor, told the Post he has been working on a full transition plan, with specifics to be disclosed soon.

On election night last Thursday, Marshall handily won the Williamson County mayoral race as the Republican nominee with nearly 70 percent of the vote, defeating independent candidate B.K. Muvvala.

"Coming from the business world, we look at everything as you build a team, and then the team you helps you execute a vision," Marshall said. "So I'm already in that process of getting the team together. We've got a mayor that's retiring, and we've got a chief of staff retiring, and combined between the two is a century of knowledge that's walking out.

"So, I will be building a team around me that will help me execute ... the vision that comes out of the county commission and what they vote on and me implementing those as the mayor."

Leisa Niemotka, Marshall's chief of staff, has been training under Anderson's chief of staff, Diane Giddens. And, Marshall plans to hire a county public information manager for the mayor's office and county commission.

Throughout his campaign Marshall noted the increasing the need for infrastructure improvements in the county.

"We're going to identify areas across the county that need some improvement, and then we're going to put a plan together of what we can handle within the county, and then we're going to put a plan together of what we need to work with the state and federal [government] on the roads that come through Williamson County," he said.

"But it's [an issue] that is solvable. It just it's going to take some real brainpower and maybe even some collaboration of public and private to get some some things moving."

Marshall noted that kind of partnership could yield attainable housing for those who work in the county, such as teachers and police officers. He also said there are several projects that are still in front of the commission and mayor's office to focus on: a new jail, judicial center and the currently under construction juvenile detention center.

And, Marshall noted the importance of the Williamson Health decision to sell to Ascension, a move that was approved by the hospital board and will require several more steps for the county to take.

"There's just a lot on the plate," Marshall said. "Quite frankly, I kind of thrive in chaos. I may not be able to to articulate it all, but there's there's so much to do and so many things in front of us. It's just an excitement for me of all that we've got to do."