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Commission Members

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in the fall of 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly, to achieve coordination and foster unity in higher education in this state. The Commission is composed of: nine lay members, with six year terms, representing congressional districts of the State; three Constitutional Officers who are ex-officio voting members (Comptroller of the Treasury, State Treasurer,  and Secretary of State); two  ex-officio  student  members, with one voting each year, (one student member from the University of Tennessee System with a two year term and one student member from the Tennessee Board of Regents System with a two year term); and the Executive Director of the State Board of Education, as an ex-officio, non-voting member.

2011-2012 Commission Members

  • Robert White, Chair, Johnson City - 1st Congressional District
  • Charles Mann, Vice-Chair, Santa Fe - 4th Congressional District
  • Cato Johnson, Vice-Chair, Bartlett - 7th Congressional District
  • A C Wharton, Jr., Secretary, Memphis - 9th Congressional District
  • Tre Hargett, Secretary of State
  • Justin P. Wilson, State Comptroller
  • David H. Lillard, Jr., State Treasurer
  • Gregory P. Isaacs, Knoxville - 2nd Congressional District
  • Jon Kinsey, Chattanooga - 3rd Congressional District
  • Sue Atkinson, Nashville - 5th Congressional District
  • Charles W. Bone, Hendersonville - 6th Congressional District
  • Sharon L. Hayes, Brownsville - 8th Congressional District
  • Dr. Gary Nixon, non-voting ex-officio, Executive Director, State Board of Education
  • Zachary Ross Walden, voting ex-officio, East Tennessee State University
  • Gregory Alan Frye, non-voting ex-officio, University of Tennessee, Martin

Former Commission Members

  • Steve Adams, 1993-2003
  • Walter Armstrong, Jr., 1967-1984*
  • Linda Blevins, 1995-1996
  • T.B. Boyd, Jr., 1970-1976
  • Riley C. Darnell, 1993-2009
  • Joseph H. Davenport, Jr., 1979-1984
  • Lewis Donelson, 1981-1990
  • Jeanne Myers Fisher, 1973-1979
  • E. Bruce Foster, 1967-1973
  • Gen. Wendell Gilbert, 2002-2008
  • Sarah Elizabeth Hawkins, 1967-1981
  • Ruth Holmberg, 1992-1996
  • Thomas Jessee, 1989-1995*
  • John M. Jones, 1967-1977*
  • Wm. Ransom Jones, 1996-2008*
  • Dale Kelly, 1998-2003
  • C.A. Kirkendoll, 1967-1970
  • Debby Patterson Koch, 1996-2007
  • Joe Lancaster, 1977-2003
  • John R. Long, 1967-1978*
  • Al Clark Mifflin, Jr., 1967-1970
  • John Morgan, 1999-2009
  • Carolyn Morrison, 2008-2009
  • Jack Murrah, 2004-2010*
  • Roland H. Myers, 1967-1973
  • John L. Parish, 1986-1998
  • Larry Perry, 1977-1986
  • Herman Postma, 1984-1992
  • Jim Powell, Sr., 2002-2006*
  • James M. Powers, Sr., 1990-1998*
  • Walter Lee Price, 1973-1980*
  • Scott Probasco, Jr., 1967-1979
  • Glenn Rainey, 1970-1982*
  • J. Brad Reed, 1980-1988*
  • Robert Scales, 1976-1986
  • June Scobee-Rodgers, 1997-2004
  • Peaches Simpkins, 1989-1995
  • Irby C. Simpkins, Jr., 1979-1980
  • Dale Sims, 2003-2009
  • William R. Snodgrass, 1993-1999
  • Ronald Terry, 1984-1986
  • Dr. E. Hunter Wells, 1991-1997
  • Joan E. Williams, 1982-1991
  • Katie Winchester, 2003-2010*
  • Brad Windley 1999-2007
  • Douglas E. Wood, 2000-2004
  • Robert F. Worthington, 1986-1995
  • Eleanor E. Yoakum, 2001-2007

* Served as Chairman