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Former TTU President Reflects On Jim Hicks’ Legacy

Cookeville lost a prominent community leader Saturday as Tennessee Tech alumni and local banker Jim Hicks passed away.

Dr. Robert Bell served as Tennessee Tech President from 2000 to 2011. He said Hick will be greatly missed by the community.

“We lost a community servant, a good neighbor, and a devoted partner for Tennessee Tech when we lost Jim Hicks,” Bell said. “He was devoted to his community and he was devoted to his campus.”

Bell said Hicks was a prominent figure in helping better Tennessee Tech and positioning the university for the future.

“Jim was involved in so many aspects at Tennessee Tech. He was a graduate of the College of Business and served as president of the College of Business Foundation,” Bell said. “He was also active in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Humanities Foundation. Just everywhere you turn, Jim was contributing and helping the campus move forward.”

After graduating from Tennessee Tech, Hicks would go on to become a prominent banker in the Cookeville community. Hicks started American Bank and Trust on Cookeville’s square before it became Regions Financial, and also founded Community Bank of the Cumberlands which was later purchased by SouthEast Bank.

Bell said Hicks helped make a positive impact on Cookeville and the communities he served.

“Jim was a leader in so many ways. He was a distinguished banker… and one of the go-to people that the Chamber of Commerce looked to and other organizations to make things happen,” Bell said. “He was president of the Chamber of Commerce, he and I served together on the Board of Directors there. He’s just going to be deeply missed from the community’s perspective.”

Funeral services are scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ in Cookeville. Hicks was 79 years old.

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