2022 Alumni Service Award Winner
A first-generation college student and graduate, Carl E. Colloms attributes his career success to a scholarship that enabled a small-town farmer to go to law school, serve as a judge, and build over 30 residential complexes. Colloms retired in 2012 and has since donated millions in scholarship funds to four different universities, including UT and its College of Law. Having previously endowed scholarships at Lee University and Tennessee Wesleyan, he donated $1 million to the UT College of Law in 2011 and another $1.15 million in 2019 to stretch over seven years. His donations made his endowed scholarship for Southeast Tennessee law students one of the largest in college history.
Although his father did not attend school past the fifth grade, he was an influential preacher in Charleston, Tennessee, and established several churches. He served as a strong role model for Colloms, who knew growing up that he wanted to be a lawyer. In 1966, Colloms graduated from the College of Law. He first served as a Bradley County attorney and Charleston city judge. At age 32, he was elected Bradley County Judge (now known as county mayor) making him the youngest county judge in Tennessee. During that time, he founded, supported, and chaired the Board of Bradley/Cleveland Community Services Agency.
Colloms was approached with the opportunity to broaden his career by constructing apartment complexes. To date, his property development and management agency has built 32 apartment complexes and five nursing homes.
In the late 1980s, Colloms was appointed as a child support magistrate for the 10th Judicial District of Tennessee. He served family courts in Bradley, Polk, Monroe, and McMinn counties for 25 years until he retired. Now residing in Charleston, he practices some law, manages a staff that is responsible for his apartment complexes, and chairs the board of the Charleston-Calhoun-Hiwassee Historical Society. He received an Accomplished Alumnus Award from UT College of Law in 2019 and a Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from Tennessee Wesleyan in 2021.
A first-generation college student and graduate, Carl E. Colloms attributes his career success to a scholarship that enabled a small-town farmer to go to law school, serve as a judge, and build over 30 residential complexes. Colloms retired in 2012 and has since donated millions in scholarship funds to four different universities, including UT and its College of Law. Having previously endowed scholarships at Lee University and Tennessee Wesleyan, he donated $1 million to the UT College of Law in 2011 and another $1.15 million in 2019 to stretch over seven years. His donations made his endowed scholarship for Southeast Tennessee law students one of the largest in college history.
Although his father did not attend school past the fifth grade, he was an influential preacher in Charleston, Tennessee, and established several churches. He served as a strong role model for Colloms, who knew growing up that he wanted to be a lawyer. In 1966, Colloms graduated from the College of Law. He first served as a Bradley County attorney and Charleston city judge. At age 32, he was elected Bradley County Judge (now known as county mayor) making him the youngest county judge in Tennessee. During that time, he founded, supported, and chaired the Board of Bradley/Cleveland Community Services Agency.
Colloms was approached with the opportunity to broaden his career by constructing apartment complexes. To date, his property development and management agency has built 32 apartment complexes and five nursing homes.
In the late 1980s, Colloms was appointed as a child support magistrate for the 10th Judicial District of Tennessee. He served family courts in Bradley, Polk, Monroe, and McMinn counties for 25 years until he retired. Now residing in Charleston, he practices some law, manages a staff that is responsible for his apartment complexes, and chairs the board of the Charleston-Calhoun-Hiwassee Historical Society. He received an Accomplished Alumnus Award from UT College of Law in 2019 and a Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from Tennessee Wesleyan in 2021.
