As a young man, Henry attended Hiwassee College and the University of Tennessee and served with distinction in the Vietnam War.
In 1989, Henry was appointed to the powerful Fiscal Review Committee, but in 1990 was narrowly defeated for a seventh term in the House by Dennis Ferguson.
A combination of factors including a well known Republican, John Smith running as an Independent and low voter turnout led to Henry's narrow defeat.
He became the president and chief executive officer for Omni Visions, Inc, a company serving adults with developmental disabilities and children and families in crisis and which has business in several southern states.
In 2001, Henry was approached by state Republican leaders identified largely with the Sundquist Administration and the party's moderate wing with the intention of encouraging him to run for governor the next year.