Phillip Fulmer, current director of athletics and former head football coach at UT-Knoxville, will present “Life Lessons from a Coach” during UTM’s 6th annual Igniting Innovation dinner. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the Boling University Center’s Duncan Ballroom.
Igniting Innovation is an annual fundraising event organized by the Ned Ray McWherter Institute’s sophomore class. The institute offers a specialized 3-year program to select students that includes both domestic and international travel as well as professional training and networking opportunities.
Fulmer has served UT for more than 40 years. During his time as head coach of Vol.’s football, he lead the team to five championship games in the SEC, with wins in 1997 and 1998 and a national championship title in 1998. He inducted into the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, and he received first-ballot induction to both the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Chairman William Rhodes III, president/CEO of Autozone and a UTM alumni, and Ronnie and Jannie Yeargin, owners of Yeargin Farms, will receive R. Clayton McWhorter awards from the Ned Ray McWherter Institute during the event. These awards recognize regional residents who have shown themselves to be innovators in their fields.
Those interested in attending this event can sponsor a table for $1,000 or purchase individual tickets for $150 each. For more information on the institute, the Igniting Innovation fundraiser, or Fulmer’s appearance, contact Program Coordinator Joyanne Gansereit at 731-881-3620 or [email protected].
