Hall of Fame Coach Phil Fulmer Coming to Smithville

April 22, 2025
By: Bill Conger

University of Tennessee football coaching legend Phil Fulmer will be in DeKalb County next month at the 2nd Annual Man Up Dinner at Smithville First Baptist Church. The 2012 inductee into the College Coaches Hall of Fame will be the guest speaker for the event on Sunday, May 4. The dinner kicks off at 6:00 p.m. in the church’s LEC. Costs of the meal is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. A pre-dinner meet and greet with Coach Fulmer will begin at 5:00 p.m. and costs $30, which will cover the suggested meal donation. Anyone wanting to be part of the meet and greet will need to register at the church website, www.smithvillefbc.org.

During his tenure with the Volunteers, Fulmer became the 1998 National Coach of the Year and achieved 137 wins in his first 15 campaigns, tying for the fourth-most in a 15-year span in college football history. He brought home 2 SEC championships and a piece of 7 SEC East Division titlea. When playing the nation’s No. 1-ranked teams, he had an impressive 5-0 record.

While Coach Fulmer was a notable foe to reckon with on the gridiron for U.T between 1992-2008, he did more than lead teams to victories. He also helped guide young men into winning lives off the field.

“When we started our program, I wanted it to be all facets,” Coach Fulmer told Smithville FBC Pastor Chad Ramsey during a recent phone interview. [Ramsey and his wife, Kathy, are huge UT fans who grew up in East Tennessee during Fulmer’s winning reign.]

“We [the coaches] were like parents away from home for them, and we told them we would get them better [athletically] and support them academically, but we’re also going to have this Christian background and attitude around our program, and we did. We influenced a lot of kids along the way. You could pour into them, but you couldn’t make them do it. We had a lot more success than we didn’t. You get into coaching, thinking I can make a difference. We’re dealing with kids’ lives. I think they would tell you they came through it at a really, really good time for Tennessee because we had that family attitude.”

Fulmer himself enjoyed a solid family upbringing in the tiny town of Winchester, Tennessee.

“I had just a magical childhood,” Fulmer said. “My dad worked two jobs all his life. My mom was a stay-at-home mom. They were the most loving Christian people you could ever imagine. Honestly, it was almost like Mayberry. We grew up Southern Baptists. Every time the church opened we were there—Sunday, Sunday night, Wednesday night. I was saved at 13.”

“I went away to college and found my Christian friends, and we’re still friends today, teammates Steve Robinson of FCA and John Keller, who went on to become a Baptist minister himself. Even now, through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, we speak and get around our young people as much as we can. My coaches in Little League, Babe Ruth and on up through high school were great influences as well.”

“When I became a coach, I wanted that to become a part of our legacy and part of our mentoring of young people as much as we could. We were the first ones in the conference to have a fulltime team chaplain in the building. They tried to do the separation of [church and] state thing, but we found a way to make it work. It’s been real important to me all my life, and I’m thankful for the people who touched my life so much growing up.”

Coach Fulmer left his charmed existence after graduating from Franklin County High School and earned a spot as offensive guard on the Vol football team.

“Going away to college was a big deal,” Fulmer said. “I didn’t have a way to pay for my education. So, if I got a scholarship, which I did, they couldn’t run me off. I was going to finish,” he said with a chuckle. “You grow a lot in college. The basics are still the same—do the right things. When I became the head coach in ’93, we started a Bible study, and we still have it going now. A group of us meet every other Monday.”

Now retired, the 74-year-old continues walking the Christian walk at his home in Maryville.

“I’m reading now 12 Ordinary Men,” Fulmer says. “It’s a fantastic book. All the apostles/disciples are heroes for all of us. The challenges that they had and the failures that they had made them into the people and leaders they were. It’s just incredible.”

Coach Fulmer will be delivering a motivational speech at the 2nd Annual Man Up Dinner at Smithville FBC Sunday, May 4. You’re invited to join the coach for “great food, a great talk, and more importantly a time for men of all ages to connect with God.”

April 21, 2025
By:

DTC Communications is pleased to announce the appointment of Kasey Krueger as the new Chief Executive Officer of the cooperative.

With over a decade of senior leadership experience in the telecommunications industry, Krueger most recently served as Assistant CEO at Pioneer Communications in Ulysses, Kansas. His previous roles included Director of Marketing and Chief Customer Officer. He earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Management and Marketing from Kansas State University and a Master of Business Administration from Kansas Wesleyan University. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Krueger actively serves on various community, economic development, and telecommunications industry boards.

“I am excited to join the DTC family and am eager to connect with the employees and the communities we serve,” Krueger said. “DTC Communications has an established history of serving its members well, and that comes down to a dedicated Board of Directors and employees that care about their neighbors.”

Joining Krueger are his wife, Michelle, a former preschool teacher, their daughter Arrow, and son Hayes. With a lifelong commitment to cooperatives, he has a strong understanding of a member-focused business model and a deep appreciation for the cooperative spirit. “The DTC Board of Directors and leadership team have established a strong vision, and I look forward to continuing the great work that DTC has been doing,” Krueger said. “I am proud to have the opportunity to lead DTC into the future.”

“Krueger’s exceptional qualifications, strong leadership, and industry knowledge make him a tremendous asset to DTC,” said Bennie Curtis, DTC Board President. “His strategic vision and experience will be instrumental in guiding DTC’s continued growth and success while upholding our dedication to our members.”

DTC Communications is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative established in 1951. DTC provides world-class broadband and technology solutions to improve the quality of life of our members and communities in the regions we serve.

April 21, 2025
By:

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce and the DeKalb County Mayor’s Office are proud to announce the DeKalb County Clean Up Event, taking place on Saturday, May 10th. This event is part of the nationwide Keep America Beautiful campaign and invites residents from across the county to come together to help beautify our communities.

The DeKalb Clean Up supports grassroots efforts to enhance and revitalize public spaces. Community members are encouraged to form teams with co-workers, neighbors, or organization members and post photos of their efforts—along with their team names—on the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber Facebook Page or the DeKalb Clean Up Facebook Page.

Volunteer Information:
Volunteers are asked to sign in at the DeKalb County Complex between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM on May 10th. During this time, participants will receive trash bags, rubber gloves, and bottled water. A group photo for media use will be taken at 9:15 AM.

If you cannot attend the sign-in but would still like to participate, please call the Chamber office at 615-597-4163 or text 615-464-7760 to register. Be sure to provide your name and your clean-up location.
In addition to litter collection, the event will also include flower planting to beautify the courthouse area and downtown Smithville, where local businesses will also participate in sprucing up their storefronts. Participants are encouraged to send their flower-planting or cleanup pictures to 615-464-7760 for sharing and recognition.

Community Leadership Encourages Participation

County Mayor Matt Adcock shared his support, stating:

“We invite people to come out and help clean up around our communities and highways. People are welcome to pick up litter at places of their choice, or we will be glad to assign a safe place for you.”

Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, added:

“DeKalb County’s peak tourism season is about to begin, so now is a great time to start getting things spruced up for our coming visitors.”

Dumpster Locations:
To assist with the cleanup, dumpsters will be available starting Friday, May 9th at the following locations:

Dowelltown Community Center

Liberty Community Center

Alexandria City Parking Lot (behind the square)

DeKalb County Complex Parking Lot

This event is a powerful way for residents to show pride in their communities and work together to create a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful DeKalb County.

Join us on May 10th and let’s make a difference—together!

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