Boards and Commissions

Chairs of Excellence Trust

Chairs of Excellence Trust is chaired by
Tennessee State Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr.

University Professor and Student

The Chairs of Excellence Trust is a permanent trust fund authorized in 1984 to further the cause of higher education in Tennessee. The funding of the program is provided through contributions made by a private donor and a matching amount by the state, thus creating a chair.

Income from the chair is used to offset the cost of retaining a nationally or regionally recognized

scholar
at a state college or university who teaches in a specified academic area. The program is open to all state four-year colleges and universities, and the UT Space Institute.

A chair is authorized to spend 4% of the 3-year average market value of the chair. However, the corpus cannot be spent. Accordingly, only dividends, interests, and accumulated gains may be spent. Since 1984, a total of one hundred (100) chairs have been created.

The Treasury Investments Division is responsible for managing the assets of the Chairs of Excellence Trust.

Board Meetings and Materials



Upcoming Meetings

Recent Meetings

Meeting Date and Time
Monday, December 9, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. CT
(Immediately following the Board of Claims meeting that will begin at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 2:00 p.m.)

Location
Tennessee State Capitol
Executive Conference Room, Ground Floor
600 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Friday, October 4, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. CT

Location
William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower
Tennessee Room 1, 3rd Floor
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Documents to download

The Board of Directors of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company will meet on December 12, 2023, immediately following the Board of Claims meeting that will begin at 2:00 p.m. (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 3:00 p.m. (Central Time). The meeting will be held in the Executive Conference Room on the Ground Floor of the State Capitol located at 600 Dr. M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Nashville, Tennessee 37243.

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. CT

Location
Tennessee Tower
Conference Room A
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, TN  37243

Individuals with disabilities who wish to participate in these proceedings and require an accommodation should contact Rodney Escobar no less than two (2) days prior to the scheduled meeting to allow time for the Treasury Department to arrange for an accommodation.  Rodney Escobar may be contacted by mail at 502 Deaderick Street, Andrew Jackson Building, 13th Floor, Nashville, Tennessee 37243; by phone at (615) 741-9957; or by email at Rodney.Escobar@tn.gov.

Documents to download

The Board of Directors of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company will be meeting on October 12, 2023, immediately following the Board of Claims meeting that will begin at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 2:00 p.m. (Central Time). The meeting will be held in the Volunteer Conference Center on the Second Floor of the Cordell Hull Building located at 425 Rep. John Lewis Way N Nashville, Tennessee.

Documents to download

The staff of the Board of Directors of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company will be meeting on October 4, 2023, immediately following the Board of Claims Staff meeting that will begin at 10:30 a.m. (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 11:30 a.m. (Central Time). The meeting will be held in Conference Room E of the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower located at 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee.

Documents to download

The Board of Directors of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company will meet on June 23, 2023, immediately following the Board of Claims meeting that will begin at 10:45 A.M. (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 12:15 P.M. (Central Time).

Documents to download

The staff of the Board of Directors of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company will be meeting on June 20, 2023, immediately following the Board of Claims Staff meeting that will begin at Noon (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 1:00 p.m. (Central Time). The meeting will be held in Tennessee Room 1 on the third floor of the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower located at 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee.  

Documents to download

This meeting has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Meeting Date and Time
Friday, June 16, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. CT
Immediately following the Board of Claims Staff meeting that will begin at 1:00 p.m. CT and which is anticipated to end at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Location
William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower
Conference Room A, 3rd floor
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, TN

The staff of the Board will review the following:

  • Approval of Investment Policy;
  • Approval of Accepting Cyber Liability Coverage and Insurance Premiums;
  • Status on Engagement of Independent Auditing Firm; and
  • Other Business

Individuals with disabilities who wish to participate in these proceedings and require an accommodation should contact Rodney Escobar, Director of Claims and Risk Management, no less than two (2) days prior to the scheduled meeting date to allow time for the Treasury Department to arrange for an accommodation.  You may contact the Board of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company at 502 Deaderick Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37243, (615) 741-2734, or Rodney Escobar by email at Rodney.Escobar@tn.gov.

Documents to download

The Board of Directors of the State of Tennessee Captive Insurance Company will meet on October 6, 2022 in the Nashville Room on the 3rd floor of the Tennessee Tower, located at 312 Rosa Parks Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee. The meeting will begin immediately after the conclusion of the Board of Claims meeting that will begin at 2:00 p.m. (Central Time).

Documents to download

The staff of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee State Captive Insurance Company will meet on September 28, 2022, in Conference Room N on the 3rd floor the Tennessee Tower, located at 312 Rosa Parks Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee. The meeting will begin immediately after the conclusion of the Board of Claims staff meeting that will begin at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) and which is anticipated to end at approximately 1:30 p.m. (Central Time).

Documents to download

The Board of Directors of the Tennessee State Captive Insurance Company will meet at approximately 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, 2022, immediately following the 10 a.m. Board of Claims Staff Meeting, in Conference Room D on the third floor of the Tennessee Tower, at 312 Rosa Parks Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee

Documents to download

Past Meetings (2022 and Prior)

Date and Time Location Agenda/Minutes
Thursday, October 6, 2022
9:30 am CT
Cordell Hull Building
Conference Room D
425 Rep. John Lewis Way North
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Audit Committee for the Chairs of Excellence Trust and
the College Savings Trust Fund - Public Meeting Notice

Audit Committee for the Chairs of Excellence Trust and
the College Savings Trust Fund - Agenda

Thursday, October 6, 2022
10:00 am CT
Cordell Hull Building
Conference Room 8D
425 Rep. John Lewis Way North
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Board of Trustees - Public Meeting Notice

Board of Trustees Agenda and Materials

Thursday, October 8, 2020
10:00 am (CT)
Virtual meeting via Webex Board of Trustees - Public Meeting Notice
Board of Trustees Agenda and Materials
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Agenda
Thursday, October 4, 2018
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Agenda
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, December 17, 2015
10:00 am (CT)
Legislative Plaza
Room 30
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes

Spending Plan Revisions

Date and Time Subject Documents
May 25, 2019
MTSU Revised Spending Plan Approval
FY 2017-18
May 9, 2019
MTSU Revised Spending Plan Request
FY 2017-18
June 25, 2018 UT Revised Spending Plan Approval
FY 2017-18
June 8, 2018 UT Revised Spending Plan Request
FY 2017-18

View Chairs of Excellence Trust Financial Statements and Investment Reports

Financial Statements on desk

Financial statements prior to 2017 are included in the Treasurer's Report for their respective year.

Chairs of Excellence Trust Board Members

The Chairs of Excellence Trust is comprised of the State Treasurer who serves as Chair, and seven (7) ex officio members.


Ex-Officio Members

Member Title/Department Location
David H. Lillard, Jr. (Chairman)
State Treasurer Nashville, TN
Bill Lee Governor Nashville, TN
Jason Mumpower Comptroller of the Treasury Nashville, TN
Tre Hargett
Secretary of State
Nashville, TN
Jim Bryson Commissioner, Finance & Administration Nashville, TN
Brian Noland President, East Tennessee State University Nashville, TN
Randy Boyd President, University of Tennessee Nashville, TN
Dr. Bob Smith (non-voting Board Member) Interim Executive Director, TN Higher Education Commission Nashville, TN

Audit Committee

Member Title/Department Location
Randy Boyd
President, University of Tennessee Nashville, TN
Jim Bryson Commissioner, Finance & Administration Nashville, TN
Tre Hargett
Secretary of State
Nashville, TN
Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN

Contact Us

Have questions about the Chairs of Excellence Trust?  We're here to help!

 (615) 253-2265

Jaye.Chavis@tn.gov

Mailing Address

State of Tennessee
Chairs of Excellence Trust
Andrew Jackson Building, 15th Floor
502 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243-0248