Max Fuller, a 1975 UTC graduate and co-founder of U.S. Xpress, Inc., stands in the center now bearing his name following a $5 million gift to UTC. Photo by Angela Foster.
The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga received an exceptional gift from alumnus and successful local entrepreneur Max Fuller to name the center at the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, the Max Fuller Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This $5 million gift will further the center’s mission to inspire discovery, innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives at UTC and the entrepreneurship community in Chattanooga and beyond.
“This gift is transformational for the entrepreneurship experience at UTC,” said Robert Dooley, UTC interim chancellor. “There is no one better that I can think of in our community to have this center named after than Max Fuller and further cement his legacy as a business and entrepreneurial leader in our region.”
Max Fuller, former chairman and CEO of U.S. Xpress, Inc., has spent his professional career in the motor carrier industry. Along with a business partner, Fuller founded U.S. Xpress, Inc. in 1985 with 45 trucks and grew the company to the fourth largest truckload carrier in the United States, with more than 8,000 tractors, 22,000 trailers and over 10,000 employees nationwide. Fuller has also started 14 other businesses throughout his career.
A 1975 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a bachelor’s degree in finance and business administration and a native of Athens, Tenn., Fuller is a past member of the UTC Chancellor’s Round Table, a former trustee for the University of Chattanooga Foundation, an inductee of the UTC Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame and the 2013 recipient of the UTC Distinguished Alumni Award.
“This gift is entrepreneurial, too,” stated Max Fuller. “If we create good entrepreneurial people, our economy will benefit for decades. This picture is much bigger than me. I’m proud to support future business leaders who will hopefully stay in the Chattanooga area because of the support they receive from the local business community.”
In addition to naming the center, Fuller’s gift will help expand its paid internship program, where students can work with start-ups and entrepreneurial support organizations. In addition to expanding the center’s programs and impact, which serves all UTC students across campus, the gift could also seed an investment fund to support entrepreneurial ventures by students and alumni.
“We want our students thinking and acting like entrepreneurs no matter their major,” stated Thomas Lyons, the UTC Clarence E. Harris Chair of Excellence in Entrepreneurship. “This gift will allow us to equip our students better, whether they end up being entrepreneurs or not, to be exceptional leaders who can manage uncertainty and creatively problem-solve in the workplace.”
“Chattanooga is a city of entrepreneurs like Max who have not only created companies but also employed many of our graduates because of their bold success,” said Kim White, vice chancellor for advancement and executive director of the UC Foundation. “The investment that Max has made in his alma mater and the future entrepreneurs for our city will have an impact for generations to come.”
The Max Fuller Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is currently located in the James R. Mapp building on UTC’s campus but will relocate to the expanded Gary W. Rollins College of Business, which broke ground in early March 2025, when completed in 2028.
About Division of Advancement: The mission of the Division of Advancement at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is to build meaningful connections for all Mocs and inspire generosity for Chattanooga’s University. By fostering relationships and investment, UTC Advancement strategically brings together alumni, donors and friends of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for the collective betterment of our campus and city.
About the Gary W. Rollins College of Business: With nearly 2,300 students across 10 undergraduate programs, four graduate degree programs, and seven minors, the Gary W. Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga provides innovative educational programs that develop academically prepared and business-world-ready professionals. Accredited by AACSB International since 1982, the college strives to be a national model of excellence in business education. For more information, visit www.utc.edu/rollins.
Photo gallery by Angela Foster
