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- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 22 Feb 2003.
Hobert O. Caughron obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 15 Oct 2005.
Bill Carroll newest member of UT Board of Regents
By: STAN VOIT
Editor October 15, 2005
SEVIERVILLE - Bill Carroll didn't go after a seat on the University of Tennessee Board of Regents. Lots of people do, but he didn't.
So he says it was a surprise when Gov. Phil Bredesen asked if he'd accept an appointment. It was not a surprise when Carroll accepted.
Gary Wade, former mayor of Sevierville who now sits on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, said he was told years ago by former Gov. Ned McWherter that of all the appointments a governor controls, a seat on the UT board is the one most people covet and seek.
Bill Carroll was sworn in Thursday for a six-year term on the UT board. His first meeting will be later this month.
"I'll do the best job I can," he said after he was sworn in by Wade.
Carroll, 66, is chairman and CEO of Citizens National Bank, a bank he founded 32 years ago. He also is a friend and supporter of Bredesen.
"I'm not involved in politics," he is quick to add, "but he's been a friend through the political process."
On hand for the swearing-in ceremony were Carroll's wife, Clara; and his two sons, Billy and Brian. Billy Carroll is a vice president of the bank. His brother is a former staff member in the UT athletics department, but now is in the real estate business.
The two Carroll boys are graduates of UT, but the new board member is not. He has been a scholarship donor for years and enjoys attending sporting events.
"He has supported UT for a lifetime," Wade said. "I don't think I have been to an athletic event there when I didn't see a member of the Carroll family."
The UT board meets at least three times a year. Committees of the board meet from time to time. The UT system includes campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin and Memphis.
Carroll was reluctant to discuss issues surrounding the university, preferring to wait until he starts his work and learns more.
"It's a great university," Carroll said. "I had occasion last year to be with the new president (John Peterson) and he has certainly been doing an excellent job. I think he'll continue to do an excellent job."
Carroll gave credit to Wade for helping secure the appointment. Wade, a Democrat like Bredesen, said the first time he knew Carroll was being considered was when he was asked about Carroll by a member of the governor's staff.
- [S51] The Seymour Herald, (www.smokymountainherald.com), 28 Feb 2006.
Bank executives to establish SmartBank
Long-time Sevier County bankers William “Bill” Carroll and his son William “Bill” Carroll are establishing SmartBank (In Organization), a new, Tennessee-chartered commercial bank in Sevierville.
Joining the Carrolls in organizing SmartBank are local business leaders Victor Barrett (The Track Recreation Centers), Ted Miller (Dolly Parton Productions), David Ogle (Five Oaks Development), Dr. Keith Whaley (Whaley Family EyeCare) and Geoffrey Wolpert (The Park Grill and The Peddler).
The organizers plan to submit their notice of intent to establish the new bank with the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions in the coming weeks, and following approval of the notice will begin soliciting investors for the bank’s common stock.
Bill Carroll will serve as the bank’s Chairman of the Board and Director of Business Development; Billy Carroll will be the bank’s President and CEO. Additional executive officers will be announced at a later date.
“In leading Sevier County’s largest community bank for 33 years, I learned a lot about the banking needs of customers in our area,” said Bill Carroll. “There are several excellent banks in our community and we realize that we are going to have to be smart and offer better choices to compete successfully. That’s why we chose the name SmartBank; it sets a higher bar for us as an organization.”
Billy Carroll was enthusiastic about the prospects for SmartBank: “We’re starting from scratch, taking our SmartBank name seriously, and we’re going to be smart every step of the way. We intend to be smart organizers; we’re looking for smart investors; we’re going to implement smart and innovative business practices…and if we do it right, banking with us will be a smart choice,” Carroll said.
“It takes approximately a year, start-to-finish, to open a new bank in Tennessee,” Bill Carroll said. “Each step in the process presents both challenges and opportunities, and the organizers of SmartBank will proceed just as the bank’s name suggests. We’ll be inviting our friends and neighbors to be shareholders, and we hope to sell most of the stock right here in our area.”
The mailing address for SmartBank (In Organization) is P.O. Box 5560, Sevierville, TN 37864-5560.
- [S27] The Daily Times, http://www.thedailytimes.com/, (Blount County, Tennessee), 28 Aug 2006.
Shular-Carroll engagement
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