The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) today named the late A. Lee Shillito as a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy for 2020.
Shillito, founder of Triad Packaging in Bristol, was a long-time supporter of Northeast State, serving 13 years on various Foundation committees and as chair from 2013-2016. He died May 28, 2019; he was 70.
The Shillito Family received the honor in his name at the unveiling of the Lee Shillito Entrepreneurial Center in the new Technical Education Complex on Northeast State’s Blountville campus.
Recipients of the award are selected based on their generous giving of resources and volunteer efforts supporting a TBR institution. Ethical leadership, civic responsibility, and integrity are also factors in the selection process.
Dr. Lana Hamilton, TBR’s vice president for Academic Affairs, presented the award.
“Lee was always looking for possibilities and better ways to serve the College’s students,” Hamilton said. “His mission was to bring out the best in Northeast State, and everyone that worked with him witnessed his care and concern for the school.”
Under his leadership, the Foundation grew endowments from $8,684,079.65 to $9,056,215.17, and created 13 new scholarships. Shillito was instrumental in guiding the Foundation to fund $340,000 for a pilot iPad initiative at the College in 2015-16. The project helped students with classwork and provided savings for textbook costs.
Shillito also established the Triad Packaging endowed scholarship for Northeast State students in 2007. He served as president and CEO of Triad until his retirement in 2014.
The Foundation’s annual Derby Day fundraiser was always a highlight for Shillito. He loved dressing up in colorful Derby attire and funding a table so that guests could attend. One year he even traveled to the Kentucky Derby to provide a live account for the event.
But more than anything, he lived his commitment to the College and Foundation. He cooked hamburgers at student events, he spoke at semester convocations, he judged door decorating contests, and attended cultural events.
“Lee was generous with his resources and, most importantly, his time, which he lavished on Northeast State,” said Northeast State President Bethany Bullock. “He was always positive, upbeat, and involved. He served Northeast State with a passion and could always be counted on to lend his help and expertise in Foundation and College matters. His service and commitment were an inspiration to us all.”
Shillito served on boards of the Salvation Army, the Rotary Club, Paramount Bristol, Frontier Health, the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC). AICC elected him to its hall of fame in 2010.
A wonderful Gentleman, Leader, and a wonderfully Generous human being with his time & talent . He was an inspiration to all of us to give of ourselves in every way we can.