Skip to main content
Wednesday, November 4, 2026Nov 4

This story is free to read.

Photos: Dinner of Firsts

Photo by Mark Gilliland / Jennifer Ottley and Janika Carney
Photo by Mark Gilliland / Jennifer Ottley and Janika Carney Photo by Mark Gilliland / Jennifer Ottley and Janika Carney

Chattanooga State Community College aims to put the fun in fundraising at their annual Dinner of Firsts, which features a roast — a humorous, lighthearted teasing that celebrates a community leader who was the first in their family to attend college. As this year’s honoree, Erlanger Health System’s CEO Jim Coleman endured good-natured quips from roasters, including Senator Bo Watson and other Erlanger leaders. Proceeds from the event funded the Tom Edd Wilson First in the Family Endowed Scholarship, supporting future first-generation students.