Kingsport Spirit

Terry Cunningham was recently honored for his lifetime of partnership as Executive Director of the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority. I was asked to share my thoughts.

Terry Cunningham is one of the best human beings I know.  He’s a gentle giant who has worked mostly in the background to effect positive outcomes for our community’s disadvantaged. He’s not satisfied with the status quo; he’s always looking for a way to leverage state and federal laws in ways that benefit Kingsport.

I remember when he invited me to Nashville to speak to his counterparts at the Metro Nashville Housing & Redevelopment Agency, they explained that the same tools used to redevelop the East Bank and the Titans Stadium were the same Tennessee laws that were available to Kingsport, too. We came home and used that knowledge to hammer out a plan to create redevelopment districts like Downtown, Kingsport Press (Farmers Market, Carousel, Chamber, Visitor Center), Brickyard (formerly General Shale), Crown Point (Food City on Eastman Road), East Stone Commons (formerly Kingsport Mall), Kingsport Pavilion (formerly Mason Dixon), Stonegate (Old Walmart), River Walk (the riverfront), River Bend (behind Fort Henry Walmart), Fort Henry Mall, and more.

Not all redevelopment projects went through KHRA, but the newfound tools were in place should they be needed and it was a vital catalyst in “remodeling the Model City”.

I remember when we traveled to Memphis to learn about HOPE VI (Homeownership and Opportunity for People Everywhere) and came home to witness the rebirth of Riverview and Sherwood-Hiwassee. And worked with major outside investors to remodel or replace every public housing complex in Kingsport.

If you have participated in any nonprofit board in Kingsport, Terry was likely at the table. KHRA is viewed as a valuable partner who can help our community achieve its goals. Quite simply, when you consider the transformation of Kingsport—socioeconomically and physically—Terry’s fingerprints are always there.

He’s not a Kingsporter by birth. He’s at the table because he chose to love this community. He cares about issues that affect minorities, the disadvantaged, and vulnerable populations, and he’s willing to give of his time and talents to help, often at the expense of his own family and health. I admire that more than I can adequately express.

Ultimately, every thriving city rests on the shoulders of leaders who view their roles as a sacred trust. There’s a book called “Leaders Eat Last” based on the U.S. Marine Corps’  custom that officers line up behind their youngest troops. It boils down to one big idea: leadership is service. When our key decision-makers embrace that ethic, they do more than manage projects; they steward the soul of the community, ensuring that the Kingsport we pass on is stronger, fairer, and more resilient than the one we inherited.

Terry Cunningham is that person.