A prolific real estate developer and a leading fundraiser for the Democratic Party, Bill Freeman has passed away. He was 73 years old.
Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said they were called to Freeman’s home Sunday evening, where he was found dead. His death is being investigated as a suicide, Aaron said.
Freeman was chairman and co-founder of Freeman Webb Companya multifamily real estate investment and management company with more than 18,000 rental homes and apartments in Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama. More than 9,000 of these rental units are located in the Nashville area.
Freeman was also a co-founder FW Publication — parent company of the Nashville Scene, Nfocus Magazine, the Nashville Post and The News.
“Tonight we lost Bill Freeman,” wrote Mayor Freddie O’Connell Sunday evening. “Bill was many things: real estate visionary, mayoral candidate, pilot, media mogul, staunch Democrat – and friend. Our city, state and nation are better because of his tenacity and dedication. We will miss him very much, and my heart is with his family.”
Here’s what else you need to know about Freeman, a fixture in the Nashville community.
Who was Bill Freeman? What you need to know about the Nashville business magnate and former mayoral candidate
Freeman co-founded Freeman Webb in 1979 after meeting Jimmy Webb at the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Nashville, where both were members. According to the company websiteTheir active involvement in community service allowed them to observe each other’s dedication level and work ethic, which ultimately became the catalyst for a business partnership.
As reported by the Tennessean, Freeman Webb is known for accepting Section 8 subsidized federal housing vouchers for low-income households, something many landlords avoid.
“The majority of our portfolio has an average rent of just over $1,000,” Bob Freeman told The Tennessean. “We are an affordable landlord by nature. We rent to the people who keep Nashville running.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairshe served as Director of Downtown Urban Development for the Metropolitan Nashville Development and Housing Agency (MDHA).
In 2015, Freeman ran for mayor of Nashville, but ultimately lost the race to former mayor Megan Barry. According to Ballotpedia, Freeman’s campaign revolved around the following issues: neighborhood safety, community and diversity, veterans, pay equity and the environment.
Freeman also served on the Nashville Davidson County Mental Health and Veterans Assistance Foundation, the Reno Air Racing Association, the White House Historical Association and the University of Tennessee President’s Council. In 2022, Freeman was appointed by President Joe Biden to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
In addition, Freeman served on the Kennedy Center Advisory Committee on the Arts, appointed by former President Barack Obama, and on the Tennessee State University Board of Trustees, appointed by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.
Freeman, a pilot, also served on the Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board for eight years under three mayors before him resigned in March.
“I remember the days when the Nashville Airport was considered an efficient but small airport in a mid-sized southern city,” Freeman said of his time overseeing the management of Nashville International Airport. “Since its early days as Berry Field, its growth in the 1980s and its major expansion goals today, Nashville International Airport has become a record-breaking, major hub in our nation’s air transportation system.”
In retirement, Freeman said he was “excited about the prospect of traveling more and enjoying our grandchildren as they grow up” with his wife Babs.
Nashville mourns the death of Bill Freeman, “an incredible force for good in our city.”
On Sunday, the Tennessee Democratic Party shared a statement Xremembering their former treasurer as a “beacon of kindness, wisdom and a steadfast community leader.”
“Bill was a generous soul who touched the lives of many,” the statement said. “His warm spirit and ability to uplift those around him left an indelible impression on all who were fortunate enough to know him.”
“Nashville lost one of its kindest and most dedicated champions,” the former US vice president said. Rep. Al Gore on Monday.
Gore called Freeman a “giant in our city,” someone known as much for his role in helping Nashville grow as for his “dedication to ensuring all residents could thrive.”
“Bill always sought new ideas and knowledge in pursuit of a better future for his community – one of the qualities that made him such an important leader in our local media landscape,” Gore said on social media.
On Monday, Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johnson shared that few have had the impact on Nashville that Freeman had, describing him as a smart, well-versed businessman and a “giant” among civic-minded leaders.
“I often asked Bill for advice, but most of all I valued his friendship.” she said in a statement. “Prayers go out to Babs tonight, to Rep. Bob Freeman and all of Bill’s loved ones. This loss leaves a terrible void.”
District Attorney Glenn Funk in a statement called Freeman a friend to all of Nashville and remembered him as someone who worked to give the working people of the Nashville community a better standard of living, from housing to wages.
“We are a better city because of Bill Freeman,” Funk said Monday.
Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry called Freeman an “incredible force for good” for both Nashville and Democrats at the national, state and local levels.
“His commitment to helping others ran deep and was reflected in his love for his family and his willingness to step up and serve Nashville,” she wrote to X on Monday.
State Senator Heidi Campbell shared the same sentiment.
“Love and condolences to the entire family – it is a true loss for Nashville and for Tennessee,” she wrote on X.
Metro Councilmember Olivia Hill described Freeman’s death as “a great loss to Nashville” and said Freeman was more than a successful businessman: he was a “leader who gave selflessly” to the Nashville community.
“His dedication to philanthropy and commitment to justice are an example to us all,” she wrote on X. “Bill’s legacy will live on in the countless lives he touched and the progress he helped bring about in our city.”
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana