Who is UT's biggest Boosters?

#51
#51
Another big donor/booster is John Tickle. He owns Strongwell in Bristol VA. His name along with his wife is on the small animal hospital on campus, The John and Ann Tickle Small Animal Hospital at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

Plus the new Engineering building being built beside the G10 parking garage also bears his name.

When I bought my season tickets they told me it was a plus that I lived in the Tri-Cities. "When the Big Orange Caravan comes to town all the head coaches will be there to meet with Mr. Tickle."
 
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#58
#58
BigOrange-Dozer said:
You've got Jones mixed up with Toby Mckenzie also from Cleveland, his wife is the Lawson name on the building, He is the one with $$$ problems and did'nt come thru with his pledge.
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Toby doesn't have any money problems or any problems for that matter, he passed away a few years ago
 
#63
#63
chattavfl86 said:
Alan jones, the guy who owns check into cash, is a pretty big booster. His last name is on a building on campus and he was pretty tight with fulmer. Dude pretty much owns most of the land in Cleveland tn (jones property management). A few years ago i worked at his huge $100 million mansion he had built in Cleveland. Rumor then between all the superintendents on the job was that somewhere on his big expansive property he had built a pretty decent scrimmage field and a few times every summer it players would come down and do 7v7 drills. I never quite believed that but it honestly wouldnt surprise me.
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Considering this post was from 2012, the $100 MM mansion is even more funny. I agree it’s impressive but nowhere near that figure especially back then.
 
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#64
#64
DjCrenshaw said:
I know Haslam, but after that I don't have much knowledge of who these boosters are.

Anyone else know any of them? I really hate just hearing the general term booster and not having a name or face to go with it. I don't quite care for the people that donate the 5k to get season tickets, I'm talkin the big money men.
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Charlie Ergen
Charles Anderson of books a million ( man behind the Pruitt hire) and training center
Larry Pratt
Allen Jones

There are at least a dozen more who have a huge say in things but all clear through the Haslam's. Will update as I recall
 
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#66
#66
WillisWG said:
John "Thunder" Thornton

john_thornton_65.jpg

School ties: University of Tennessee (Tennessee Wesleyan, Class of '75)
Age: 51
Wealth: N/A
How made money: Residential development. Started out selling knockoff rugs, eventually selling to Mohawk Industries in 1993 for $34 million.
How much donated: N/A
School song/cheer: "Rocky Top"
Braggin' Rights: Sits on the University of Tennessee board of trustees, which oversee the state's major colleges. ... Longtime football coach Phillip Fulmer counts him among his best friends. Thornton is also tight with Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt. ... Behind-the-scenes player in Fulmer's bid to uncover dirt on Alabama football program.
The Buzz: After selling his rug company, "Thunder" gave $1 million to Tennessee for the chance to run with the football team through the "Power T" formed by the marching band during a game at Neyland Stadium. Money went toward an athletic student life center -- the Thornton Center. ... His Chattanooga home, a log-style Wyoming lodge design, is so massive it's called "Thunderdome."
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this is some loother-level math herruh
Class of '75....50 yrs ago
And he's only 51....smart kid
 
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#67
#67
LWSVOL said:
Charlie Ergen
Charles Anderson of books a million ( man behind the Pruitt hire) and training center
Larry Pratt
Allen Jones

There are at least a dozen more who have a huge say in things but all clear through the Haslam's. Will update as I recall
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I thought Haslam’s influence (power) waned after the AD fiasco and the restructure of trustees under the former governor?
 
#69
#69
Pete DeBusk owns DeRoyal Industries. The medical supplies company based in Powell. I think that his son was the youngest ever Vanderbilt engineering PhD. I think that Pete might have played basketball for LMU.

Tony Hollin controls EdFinancial / EdAmerica / EdSouth. The “Ed” is for education - they’re in the student loan business. I’m not sure how they’re organized, they might technically be a not-for-profit corporation established by an alliance of banks to manage their student loans. Tony owns Avalon Golf Club in Lenoir City and a sports training business as well as being a banker.

I didn’t realize that Books-A-Million was associated with Charlie Anderson. BAM combined with Gateway Bookstores in Knoxville. I knew that Anderson News became very successful by supplying Walmart with books and periodicals. Charlie Anderson played football for UT.
 
#71
#71
#1fulmerite said:
I thought Haslam’s influence (power) waned after the AD fiasco and the restructure of trustees under the former governor?
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I seriously doubt it. Jimmy created some angst for a while with the Schiano deal (Peyton was involved as well) but feel comfortable in saying they are still the most powerful influencers.
 
#73
#73
LWSVOL said:
I seriously doubt it. Jimmy created some angst for a while with the Schiano deal (Peyton was involved as well) but feel comfortable in saying they are still the most powerful influencers.
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Just seems like we aren't making the "Haslam hires" like we used to.... is it because he has more respect for ADDW than he did Currie/Hart/etc.?
 
#74
#74
The places you see advertised on game day are big donors. UT Medical Center, Pilot, State Farm, Hiller, Coca Cola, etc. Scripts Network was until Discovery bought them and moved them out. As individuals the Haslams and Tickles are the biggest individual donors. The Stokelys still have funds so drink more Gatorade. Jay Bush, the Bush Beans guys, is a big donor. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
 
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