Celebrating service: Employees recognized for years of work at UTC

Chancellor Lori Bruce (center) poses with 40 year UTC employees Jina Johnson (left) and Dr. Marcia Noe. Photo by Angela Foster.

Jina Johnson graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1986. That same year, she began her career in human resources at UTC.

Forty years later, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, she attended UTC’s annual Service Awards Luncheon—a Founder’s Week event that celebrates faculty and staff anniversaries beginning at five years of service. This year’s event honored 183 employees.

“I have spent my whole adult life here when you think about it,” said Johnson, who is still in HR as the payroll and records management specialist. “I went to school here and now I’m working here. I really feel like family here.

“It has flown by. It’s a good feeling.”

To kick off the ceremony, Chancellor Lori Bruce spoke to the honorees in the audience about what their service means to her and to UTC.

“I want to just say thank you to everyone in the room,” Bruce said. “Thank you for what you do to make our University special and to make the student experience special, to serve our students and to serve each other.”

UTC Student Government Association President Zachary Lewis also thanked the crowd.

“Thank you for the countless hours you have spent leaning in, listening and truly caring for every single person on this campus,” Lewis said. “To those being recognized today, thank you for your service, your energy and your dedication to UTC.”

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Two individuals pose together at an event for the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, both pointing toward the camera with smiles.

Carole Geter (right) holds up a “Power C” with Chancellor Lori Bruce.

Not long after Carole Geter began working at UTC, she had to step away for several months for surgery. She worried she might not have a job to return to.

Instead, she said human resources and her supervisor worked with her through the situation.

“That’s the thing I was most grateful about,” said Geter, a senior custodian celebrating 10 years of service.

Geter takes care of Founders Hall, Race Hall and the Alumni House, where she interacts with the people who pass through the buildings each day.

“I get to interact with the students, the staff and my coworkers,” she said. “I take my job very seriously.”

After a decade at UTC, Geter said she loves the University and wants others to experience it as well.

“It’s a great environment,” she said. “I’m trying to get my grandbaby to come to college, and I recommend a lot of nieces and nephews to come to this college because it’s amazing.”

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An individual with short gray hair smiles while seated at a table during an event, wearing a maroon blouse and a name tag.

Dr. Chris Smith

Over her 25 years at UTC, Dr. Chris Smith has watched nursing education change dramatically. She has helped lead that change.

Smith, now dean of the College of Nursing and the University’s chief health affairs officer, watched nursing grow from a school into an independent college, while her own role has grown along with it.

“It’s exciting to see where we’re going to end up,” Smith said. “We’ve always had an idea that we needed to be able to do more for our students.”

The technology available to those students would have been difficult to imagine when Smith arrived 25 years ago. Simulation, she said, “was in its infancy.”

She said the time passed quickly.

“This is the longest I’ve ever been anywhere,” Smith said. “I can honestly say there’s not one morning I’ve gotten up and said I don’t want to go to work. It’s a wonderful place to work, and I have great faculty and staff that I work with. That’s why I have lasted 25 years.”

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Reuben Snow

Jerry Ball

Reuben Snow and Jerry Ball both reached the 30-year service milestone.

Snow, technical director at McKenzie Arena and a Chattanooga native, attended UTC before beginning his career at the University.

“It means the world,” Snow said of reaching 30 years. “Beautiful people. I’ve seen them come and go, and I’m still here.”

Ball, an electrician assistant in Facilities, Planning and Management, said his 30 years have passed quickly.

“It feels amazing. It flew by fast,” Ball said. “It’s good people up here, good community and good coworkers.”

When asked why he has stayed at UTC, Ball responded: “The question is, why not UTC? The people are great. The facilities are great. The staff and faculty, they take care of each other. So, it’s just like one big happy family.”

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The 2026 Service Award recipients are listed below, courtesy of the UTC Office of Human Resources.