East Tennessee Foundation, a local nonprofit organization focused on strengthening East Tennessee communities, recently announced seven new members that have been selected to serve on the organization’s Board of Directors in 2015.

Joining the board in place of outgoing members are Amy Cathey, Will Haslam, Joe Marlette, Paige Preston, Avice Reid, Justice Gary Wade and Paul Willson.

Born and raised in Knoxville, Cathey currently serves as interim executive director for the Haslam College of Business’ executive education programs. With a passion for helping people be the best they can be, Cathey’s volunteer focus is on developing human capital. She is a member of Junior League Knoxville, Helen Ross McNabb Foundation board and Leadership Knoxville. She also participated in creating a new organization, Volunteer Knoxville, that connects volunteers with volunteer opportunities.

Haslam is a Knoxville native and currently works for the family business, Pilot Flying J. He is active on boards of the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Blount Mansion Association, as well as serves on the Webb School Alumni Leadership Council.

Formerly an employee of Dow Chemical Company in Fresno, Calif., for 35 years, Marlette moved to East Tennessee in 2001. Since calling Tellico Village home, Marlette has served on the board of directors of United Way of Monroe County and the Boys and Girls Club of the Monroe Area. He supports organizations focused on human health and family development.

As an advocate for organizations that help women and children, Preston recently completed a term on ETF’s Women’s Fund Advisory Board. She is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Knoxville and the Knoxville Garden Club. In addition to this, she dedicates a majority of her time to Webb School, where her three children attend.

Reid currently serves as the Executive Director of the Police Advisory and Review Committee for the City of Knoxville. Deeply involved in the local community, she has sat on boards such as Leadership Knoxville, Home Federal Bank of East Tennessee, United Way of Greater Knoxville, YWCA of Knoxville and the Helen Ross McNabb Foundation, Trinity Health Foundation, among many others. Her philanthropic interests revolve around helping young people see endless possibilities for their future, especially those who don’t have many positive role models in their immediate surroundings.

The former mayor of Sevierville for 10 years, Justice Wade currently serves as a justice on Tennessee’s Supreme Court in Nashville. He helped found the Sevier County Library Foundation, Sevier County High School Foundation and Leadership Sevier. He previously acted as chair of the Friends of the Smokies and the Knoxville Zoo.

Willson still resides on the land grant farm in McMinn County that has been in his family since the 1840s. His upbringing on a farm and time spent outside shaped his philanthropic interests to lie in the environmental arena, especially land preservation, in hopes to preserve the natural world in a way that future generations will appreciate. He currently is Vice Chairman & President of Citizen’s National Bank in Monroe County.

The board is comprised of 31 members and five honorary lifetime members. ETF is a public, nonprofit, community foundation created for the purpose of building charitable resources to make communities stronger and lives better through thoughtful giving.

For more information on ETF, visit www.easttennesseefoundation.org.


Amy Cathey
Will Haslam
Joe Marlette
Paige Preston

Avice Reid
Gary Wade
Paul Willson		  

About East Tennessee Foundation:
East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is a nonprofit organization created by and for the people of East Tennessee. Serving more than 25 counties within East Tennessee, ETF consists of many donors joined together to make the region they love a better place. ETF wants to build endowment, thus creating a permanent source of philanthropic funding for the East Tennessee region. East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is a nonprofit organization created by and for the people of East Tennessee. Serving more than 25 counties within East Tennessee, ETF consists of many donors joined together to make the region they love a better place. ETF wants to build endowment, thus creating a permanent source of philanthropic funding for the East Tennessee region.