Bill Gatton’s Legacy

To say I was a bit intimidated when I first met Bill Gatton would be an understatement. We were meeting in his Bristol office to discuss his commitment to meet Governor Phil Bredesen’s challenge to start a College of Pharmacy at ETSU. Dr. Ron Franks and I were escorted to his office. The environment was not at all what I expected. “Disheveled” is a word that comes to mind.

On the floor in the corner was a picture of Mr. Gatton and President Ronald Reagan, while prominently displayed on his desk was a handwritten thank-you note from what appeared to be a child. In the opposite corner was a large stack of trash bags. He was quick to point out that the bags did not have trash in them. They were filled with handmade dolls destined for Christmas presents for children in a rural East Tennessee elementary school.

I mention this story to make an important point. While Mr. Gatton gave MILLIONS of dollars to support worthwhile causes – education in particular – we will never know the magnitude and depth of his generosity for meeting unmet needs in our community.

I was blessed to be able to spend a lot of one-on-one time with Mr. Gatton. He was quick to realize that I was a sports fan. He invited me to accompany him to a number of Kentucky basketball games. We would drive through the mountains to Lexington to Rupp Arena. Being the single largest donor to the University of Kentucky, he had great seats (the governor sat behind us). Mr. Gatton was very proud of Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU. He was never shy in telling the story of how the college was started, our historic facilities, and most importantly the success of our students. I especially enjoyed the time he shared this information with the president of the University of Kentucky.

I could fill pages upon pages with “Bill Gatton stories” – golf games with Guy Wilson and Newt Raff that ended in the exchange of $1 bills on the 18th green; invitations to his dealership for what I thought was just a conversation, only to learn that he had a large check to give me for the college; and long conversations on the back roads of Kentucky in the rain, just to name a few. However, I must point out that he always wanted to hear of the accomplishments of the “Gatton students.” He was so proud of the awards and recognitions they received. I feel it gave him true pleasure to see his investment making a difference in the lives of young people. He enjoyed each time he was able to get in front of students and “tell stories.” He always left them with a challenge: “Give back when you can.”

I will end with my most memorable interaction with Mr. Gatton. I mentioned the many trips to Lexington where he would introduce me to UK dignitaries and talk about the Gatton College of Pharmacy. On the last trip I made with him, he was introducing me to one of those individuals and he didn’t say, “This is Larry Calhoun, the Founding Dean of the Gatton College of Pharmacy.”

Rather, he said, “This is my friend Larry.”

Many will miss you, Mr. Gatton.

Dr. Larry Calhoun is the Founding Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy. Bill Gatton died on April 18, 2022, in Bristol, Tennessee.