The East Tennessee Historical Society named community leaders Jenny and Randy Boyd as East Tennesseans of the Year at a celebration dinner at Cherokee Country Club on November 3.
Honorary co-chairs for the event were Bill and Crissy Haslam. Randy Boyd is President of the University of Tennessee System and the founder of Radio Systems Corporation, Boyd Sports, and TnAchieves. Jenny Boyd owns Boyd’s Jig & Reel, is a member of the Old City Association, and serves on the boards of the Tennessee Arts Commission, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, and the Museum of Appalachia. Together the Boyds have given more than $10 million to more than 100 charitable causes, from entrepreneurship and education, to child and animal welfare, to mental health and the arts.
The East Tennessee Historical Society Board of Directors established the award in 2011 to recognize and honor an East Tennessee history maker. Honorees must be an ambassador for our region and represent integrity, dignity, leadership, and the volunteer spirit. The award is given to East Tennesseans with either a recent accomplishment or a compilation of accomplishments in fields such as history, politics, entertainment, education, business, research, or humanitarian work that improves the lives of others. Previous award winners are Bill Haslam, Jack Hanna, Roy Kramer, Pete DeBusk, Natalie Haslam, Phillip Fulmer, and Lamar Alexander.
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By Peter Wallenstein
published in the Journal of East Tennessee History, Vol 96, 2024
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The Watauga Association: Self-Government on the Edge of Empire
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The streetscape here at the Museum of East Tennessee History has undergone some changes and gained a few new additions to showcase. In particular, the three cases to the left of Trolly 416 are now inhabited by artifacts that give a glimpse into the rich history of radio in Tennessee.