Kim White’s career was one of those winding affairs that doesn’t lend itself to clichés about ladders or stepping stones.
She was an art major at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who held executive positions at a large telecommunications company before returning to her hometown and managing 2 million square feet of real estate in then-Mayor Bob Corker’s portfolio.
She then led downtown development efforts as the longest-serving CEO in the history of the nonprofit River City Co. before launching a bid for mayor, ultimately losing to Tim Kelly in a 2021 runoff. She sat on some of the city and state’s most power boards, including at Erlanger Health and the UT System.
Then she built a team to fundraise and engage alumni as vice chancellor for advancement at UTC. She retired from the position in September after several record fundraising years and just before her 65th birthday.
So, people ask her: What are you going to do now that you’re retired?