PHILLIP FULMER TO HEADLINE IGNITING INNOVATION DINNER APRIL 23

PHILLIP FULMER TO HEADLINE IGNITING INNOVATION DINNER APRIL 23

MARTIN, Tenn. – Phillip Fulmer, current director of athletics and former head football coach at

the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will present “Life Lessons from Coach” during the

University of Tennessee at Martin Ned Ray McWherter Institute’s sixth-annual Igniting

Innovation fundraising event at 6:30 pm, April 23, in the Boling University Center’s Duncan

Ballroom.

Fulmer has served the University of Tennessee for more than 40 years. During his time as head

coach of the Tennessee Volunteer football team, he lead the team to five championship games in

the Southeastern Conference (with wins in 1997 and 1998) and a national championship title in

1998. He was most recently 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.

UT Martin alumni William Rhodes III, chairman, president and CEO of Autozone, 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 members of the

regional community who have shown themselves to be an innovators in their fields.

Igniting Innovation is an annual fundraising event organized by the Ned Ray McWherter

Institute’s sophomore class. The institute offers a specialized three-year program to select

students that includes both domestic and international travel as well as professional training and

networking opportunities.

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, Igniting Innovation or Fulmer’s appearance, contact

Joyanne Gansereit, program coordinator, at 731-881-3620 or gansereit@utm.edu.

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