OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM

CURRENT CLASS

I see Knoxville continuing to grow as a regional hub of culture and commerce, building on its recent accolades as a great place to live. More than that, though, I see Knoxville continuing to strengthen from the inside-out, providing more opportunities for its most vulnerable residents to improve their circumstances and contribute to the community.

The Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum

As Knoxville has experienced rapid growth, I think it is important to the ongoing vibrance of the city to build strong connections between new transplants and the community here, so that Knoxville feels like home to even our newest residents, who will then be invested in Knoxville's continued growth and lend us their own experiences and knowledge.

Embracing my brother in our seats at Neyland when the Florida kicker missed on September 19, 1998.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

I met with Shane Dikolli, a professor of mine at Fuqua and someone I often went to for advice, shortly before deciding to move home and join the family business. He told me "to make a meaningful impact, learn aggressively - take in as much as you can as fast as you can and don't wait for the knowledge to come to you. Experience every part of the business so you can make informed decisions.

There are opportunities coming in the next six years with college that you will never have the chance to experience again; don't let them pass you just because you're too young to know how interesting, valuable or fun they could be. Be a driver in your life, not a passenger. If you don't pursue something, let it be because you chose not to, not because you just didn't make a decision.