2018 Alumni Service Award Winner
Rick Kuhlman graduated with an industrial engineering degree from the Tickle College of Engineering in 1973.
Since 2006, he has served as the founding director of Knoxville Fellows, a program that provides leadership training to future leaders and teaches recent college graduates, including many from UT, how to integrate their faith in their vocation. He also leads the Father Teen Adventure at Spring Canyon in Buena Vista, Colorado—a week where fathers and sons can adventure in the Rocky Mountains while strengthening their relationship.
Kuhlman held the rank of colonel in the US Air Force and retired in 2003 after more than 30 years of service. He is a graduate of Air War College and Air Command and Staff College. In retirement, he continues to assist the Air Force as an Air Liaison Officer for the United States Air Force Academy.
Very active in the Knoxville community, Kuhlman has served on the boards of directors for the American Red Cross, the UT Knox County Alumni Association, the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville, Knox County Schools Business Partnerships, Cumberland Avenue Review Board, the Cross Greek College Ministry, 4 Market Square, and the New City Café. He is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Knoxville.
He is also involved with his church, serving as a deacon, elder, and senior high youth advisor. Through his church, he led six teams of UT students, totaling more than 800 people, to the Gulf of Mexico for Hurricane Katrina relief between 2005 and 2009, impacting both the lives of the students and the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
He is married to Beverly Knight Kuhlman (’74) and they have one son Rick (’02, ’04), who has earned both his bachelor’s degree and MBA from UT.
Rick Kuhlman graduated with an industrial engineering degree from the Tickle College of Engineering in 1973.
Since 2006, he has served as the founding director of Knoxville Fellows, a program that provides leadership training to future leaders and teaches recent college graduates, including many from UT, how to integrate their faith in their vocation. He also leads the Father Teen Adventure at Spring Canyon in Buena Vista, Colorado—a week where fathers and sons can adventure in the Rocky Mountains while strengthening their relationship.
Kuhlman held the rank of colonel in the US Air Force and retired in 2003 after more than 30 years of service. He is a graduate of Air War College and Air Command and Staff College. In retirement, he continues to assist the Air Force as an Air Liaison Officer for the United States Air Force Academy.
Very active in the Knoxville community, Kuhlman has served on the boards of directors for the American Red Cross, the UT Knox County Alumni Association, the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville, Knox County Schools Business Partnerships, Cumberland Avenue Review Board, the Cross Greek College Ministry, 4 Market Square, and the New City Café. He is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Knoxville.
He is also involved with his church, serving as a deacon, elder, and senior high youth advisor. Through his church, he led six teams of UT students, totaling more than 800 people, to the Gulf of Mexico for Hurricane Katrina relief between 2005 and 2009, impacting both the lives of the students and the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
He is married to Beverly Knight Kuhlman (’74) and they have one son Rick (’02, ’04), who has earned both his bachelor’s degree and MBA from UT.
