Audio clip
Keith Sanford
Former University of Tennessee President Joseph Johnson has spent his career in education, and he knows how important it is for future generations to understand how the nation’s economy works.
“We all know, young folks growing up, we need them finishing high school, we need them understanding the economy and preparing themselves skillwise,” he said. “All that is very important to the economic health and well-being of the area surrounding Chattanooga and Hamilton County.”
Dr. Johnson was the keynote speaker at Junior Achievement’s Spirit of Achievement Awards Dinner on Tuesday at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The annual event, in its fifth year, honored several companies for contributions to the nonprofit organization’s goal of putting volunteers from the business community into classrooms.
“What Junior Achievement does to promote economic fiscal education for young folks is vitally important and to have jobs and keep jobs and to have people earning and spending money and making that economy boil and bubble,” Dr. Johnson said. “We’ve got to have a healthy economy, and that healthy economy is heavily dependent on having a skilled, talented work force.”
Gordon’s Dry Cleaners, McKee Foods and First Tennessee Bank were cited for work to make economic education possible through Junior Achievement.
“These are companies that have supported Junior Achievement since the early 1960s,” said Brigett Thurman, president and executive director of Junior Achievement of Chattanooga. “They’ve been dedicated to us through financial gifts and or volunteerism, since Junior Achievement opened its doors in Chattanooga.”
Jim Ledbetter owns Gordon’s Dry Cleaners, the business his father, the late Gordon Ledbetter, started in 1952. He said his father started the company’s involvement with Junior Achievement many years ago. He said he always felt it was a worthy cause and continued to support the organization after his father died.
“I am overwhelmed,” he said. “I never expected such a thing, especially in such high company as McKee Foods and First Tennessee Bank. I am very honored.”
McKee Foods has supported Junior Achievement for decades, said Debbie McKee Fowler, the company’s executive vice president. She said her company was humbled by the award, and believes the employees who volunteer benefit themselves from their service.
Keith Sanford, executive vice president of First Tennessee, said that each year, 15 to 20 bank employees volunteer time to teach area students about finance and the economy.
“The more kids know about how the economic system works, the better we all are,” he said. “When you learn how to balance your family’s budget, or a business’ budget, then you can translate that back to, why isn’t the federal government balancing its budget.”
