NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam’s chief campaign fundraiser as well as a one-time top staffer to former-U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., were both selected Monday to lead efforts to raise $41.775 million in private funds for the new $160 million Tennessee State Museum building.
The state’s private nonprofit Museum Foundation board, acting on Haslam’s preference, unanimously approved Kim Kaegi and Emily Reynolds. Reynolds, a Museum Foundation board member, resigned her position prior to the vote.
A formal contract for their services is expected to be ready for action by Museum Foundation members to approve by Sept. 1 at the latest.
Over the past 20 or so years, Kaegi has helped raise tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash for Tennessee Republican politicians including Haslam and U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker.
Reynolds served as a chief of staff for Frist and then served as secretary of the U.S. Senate before later becoming head over the Tennessee Valley Authority’s public and government relations office. She currently is the vice chairman of the Tennessee Board of Regents overseeing many state universities and all community colleges.