I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kim White as Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs and Executive Director of the UC Foundation, effective December 1, 2021.
Kim brings to the role an extraordinary blend of experience, expertise, and skills. She is a proud Moc, having graduated from UTC, and has served our institution and the UT system for many years in a variety of roles. She has gained valuable experience having interfaced with all the units she will lead as vice chancellor, including development, alumni affairs, financial management, strategic planning, the UC Foundation and board development.
Doug Brown, Chair of the University of Chattanooga Foundation Board of Trustees, said “the Foundation is extremely pleased to have Kim on board as Executive Director. She is a proven leader, and her experience as a previous Board Chair gives her a unique ability to move the Foundation forward. Kim will make sure we maintain our focus on the success of the students at UTC.”
For the past 18 years, Kim has held multiple volunteer leadership positions at UTC and for the UT System. She has been president of the UTC Alumni Board and an active member of the UC Foundation Board. She was the second woman in the Foundation’s 50-plus year history to serve as chair. She represented UTC while on the board of the UT Foundation, chairing the real estate committee and as a member of the Foundation’s executive committee.
Kim is currently a member of the UT System Board of Trustees, appointed to that position in 2018 by Governor Bill Haslam. She will resign from this position prior to assuming her role at UTC.
Over her career, she has been selected as one of the 100 most significant alumni in the history of the University of Tennessee. She received the UTC Outstanding Service Award in 2015 and the Erlanger Foundation’s Gordon Street Distinguished Community Leadership Award in 2020.
Kim White’s professional career includes 16 years in leadership with a Fortune 500 tech company. She returned to her hometown in 2003, serving as president and CEO of the Corker Group, Luken Holdings and, most recently, The River City Company.
I know she will “hit the ground running” as we work together to build on our relationships with our UTC alumni and align our fundraising goals with our new strategic plan.
I want to thank Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Yancy Freeman and UC Foundation life trustee Fred Decosimo for their service as co-chairs of the search committee, as well as the dedicated faculty, staff, students, and community members who served on the search committee. Kim’s selection was made from a very diverse and competitive national pool of candidates.
I also want to express my appreciation to Lofton Stuart for coming out of retirement to serve as interim vice chancellor for development and alumni affairs. Lofton stepped in at a critical juncture and made important decisions that position us for success. I appreciate his leadership and service to UTC and the University of Tennessee.
Please join me in congratulating Kim and thanking Lofton.