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The current chapter of BOMA grew out of an earlier chapter that held its monthly meetings at the Club LeConte. Local building management professionals Mark Brummette, David Griffin, Lisa Williams and Bob Rountree were all BOMA members prior to the start-up of the current Knoxville Association and several of those professionals were working on the designation of RPA, which Mark eventually earned. Realizing that the area needed a stronger local Association, Bob Rountree began discussions with David Griffin and Polly Fuqua of SSC (Service Solutions at that time) in the fall of 2002. Polly agreed to serve as the Chapter Chairperson and the Knoxville Chapter held its first meeting a short time later. The existing members were able to locate and contact several other area BOMA members in the area and invited them to this initial meeting. These local members included Dennis Gentry and Jonathan Sitzlar of the GSA along with Linda Redmond who was with TJ Development at that time.
Knowing that there had been a thriving BOMA Association here in years past, the attendees thought it would be a good idea to officially restart the Association. Polly served as the “volunteer” chair for about 6 months until the chapter was officially organized and sanctioned through BOMA.
The early chapter meetings were held at Regas, where Polly was elected as the first chapter President, along with Linda Redmond as BAE, Secretary/Treasurer. The first full year term for these officers was 2003.
Once the Knoxville Chapter had been sanctioned and ratified a set of by-laws, the meeting place officially moved to the conference room at the Knoxville Federal Courthouse, thanks to the generosity of Dennis Gentry and the GSA. The courthouse has been the primary meeting location for the chapter ever since. |
